


Light Up The Path

by Kittyinaz



Category: The Mummy, Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-19
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-02-26 07:49:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2643947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittyinaz/pseuds/Kittyinaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the sands of time, a promise was made to a faithful follower. That promise is finally realized in a future that magic is all but forgotten. A man from the past stuck in the future, a woman lost, and a wolf is all that stands between a future with no magic, and a love that will surpass all of time, not once, but three times. Part 1 of the Light Trilogy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tear Me Apart

# Tear Me Apart

 

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Chapter-1-Light.jpg)

**Pre Edit Count – 799 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: A Sky Full of Stars_ by Coldplay

* * *

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Imhotep.jpg)

On one end of the spectrum of time, a man is stares at the desert from a balcony. His heart is cold as he listens to the woman he thinks he loves giving her body to another. He can do this no more, but what other choice is there? He has been promised a woman who will love him until the end of time; one who will gift him with the immortality he desires to spend with her, and in return he will protect her from those that hunt her, since she will be powerful as his other half.

Even though he was promised this by his god that he worships and loves, he is a human man. And unlike most of his kind, he is a full male, which means that he has every desire a normal male has. He wants a body to wake up beside; he wants to be able to gift her with the costly presents that not only a man in his station could, but that she deserves. He will worship her body while giving her the love and devotion of him. Their love will be talked about for the rest of history, but he won’t care as long as she is by his side.

But to do this, he needs to let down some of his guard. So when he thought he found that woman, he did so. Now he listens as the man who wed her is bedding her. He listens to their cries of pleasure on the hot dry wind.

He bows his head as he clenches the balcony in front of him, hating what he hears and wishing that this is not his destiny. Clenching his eyes, he prays to his Master, his Lord, to save him from this path; to allow him to have someone truly worthy of him, and in return he tells him all he will do to keep her.

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2341904160068192481ZEwqtp_ph_thumb.jpg)

He finally sighs and heads to his home.  As he leaves the palace, one of the temple wolves comes to him, to keep him company. He smiles down at the symbol of his Lord, laying an affectionate hand on the beast as it keeps pace beside him.

As he enters the temple, the wolf leaves him, lying on its bed, watching the priest as he goes about his duties. When he kneels before the statue to idolize his god, the head comes to life and moves. Looking down on his beloved priest, the god tells the man below him, “Do not worry, my beloved. This is a necessary step to gain what you so desire. You will suffer much, but if you stay this course, you will be granted the power to protect your beloved. I will not fail you, as you will never fail me.” The statue’s eyes dull back to the black stone, and the man below believes his god.

Though he ends up living a life of tragedy, he remains trusting of his god, believing that he will be gifted as promised.

* * *

On the other side of time, a young brunette picks herself up off the ground where she fell. A black wolf had appeared to her; with much loving and licks to encourage the young woman, she finally rises to her feet.

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Hermes1.gif)

With one hand on the head of the animal, reminiscent of another being in time, she makes her way home, her heart broken. The animal walks with her towards her home, keeping his charge safe. The time has finally come. The very earth as well as his gods, and the gods of others, have waited for this moment of time, this chance to wrench time to the right track. This broken woman at his side will reshape the very sands of time with her beliefs.

He escorts her home, warning off the shapeshifter who would have steered this timeline on their own track, instead of the one she has been destined for. Not saying that there will not be pain for her on this timeline, but there is more of a future in the timeline he represents. He also makes sure that there are no others around that could be a threat to his charge.

When they come to the house, the wolf walks in with her. His duty is to keep her safe as he did for the other one trusted to his care. While others may think he failed that night, the truth will come out later. Right now, he is dedicated to keeping her safe.

The woman just stares at the wolf, thinking, then tells him, “I am not sure how Charlie will like a wolf in the house if you are set to be here.” At this point nothing surprises her.

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/jeff_sm.jpg)

Cocking its head to the side, the wolf thinks, and then shakes, changing enough about him to look more like a shepherd.  He looks up at her. He is bigger, and black; nowhere close to his original look in the desert To begin with, but this makes it harder to see the truth from there also.

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Bella-Swan.jpg)

Bella blinks, and tells him, “Well I am guessing that will work. But… you know what, never mind. It seems that the supernatural world is not done with me no matter what _he_ thinks.” The word ‘he’ is spoken with some anger, and the wolf approves.

The wolf comes up to her, nudging her until she sits down, and rests his head on her lap, looking up at his charge. A lot of changes are going to be coming for her, and he will be here to help her through it all. And maybe, just maybe, she will be the one who will right this world for them.

So the night passes, the world being aware of the change, but the humans and other beings on the planets having no idea that time itself is about to become a string of wibbly-wobbly nonsense, as one wise Time Lord called it.

And the universe will be changed for it.

* * *

**Final Count: 1,030 words**

**Fairfarren~**


	2. Chapter 2 Look in Your Eyes

# Look in Your Eyes

**[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Chapter-2-Light-1.jpg) **

**Pre Edit Count – 1,953 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Damn Your Eyes_ by Alex Cross

* * *

_Previously:_

_So the night passes, the world being aware of the change, but the humans and other beings on the planets having no idea that time itself is about to become a string of wibbly-wobbly nonsense, as one wise Time Lord called it._

_And the universe will be changed for it._

_Now:_

* * *

Two years later, Bella is in Seattle at an exhibit for school. It is an Egyptian one hosted by the O’Connell’s, who are some of the premier archaeologists in the field. The finds that have been accredited to them are among the best preserved in the world.

She is wandering through, feeling that itch in her brain she seems to have all the time. Ever since she gained Hermes, she has had these odd dreams that originally had Edward in them, but they slowly moved to be more of an Egyptian motif. She has no idea what is going on, but she has found that she has been getting interested in the subject to the point she is studying it. The emotions that she has in the dreams are ones that make it easier for her to want to find out more.

Since the day he had helped her get up off that forest floor, Hermes has kept by her side. Even when she leaves him home, locked in the house, he has appeared by her side out of nowhere. One moment he is not there, and then he is walking next to her like he has been doing it since she left, as he is now. Most people ignore him, and when he is not seen by others, he reverts to his normal appearance. An appearance that amazes Bella because of being neither the wolf she first saw nor the dog that most see. No, this form is one that reminds her of those Egyptian statues of the dogs. But he is not that color black.

In fact, he is in his what she calls his “normal” form, sitting by her side as she reads a plaque in front of an exhibit. Looking up at the sarcophagus described on the plaque, she jumps as a reflection on the glass surprises her. She turns around to confront the guy for being so close to her, only to find that no one is there. She looks back, and jumps again as the reflection is still present.

This time she takes in more details. A man, bald-headed and dark-eyed, is staring at her as if she is the answer to everything in his world. She cannot help but feel his pain, and feels the echo of it inside her. The figure fades away, and Bella looks down at the plaque, lost in what just happened.

Having watched her reactions, a curious old man came up to her, asking, “You ok, Miss?”

She turns to him, smiling. She feels Hermes tense, then make a slight sound and her back slowly straightens. Hermes is always a good reference for people. Although he is not growling, the tension means caution is needed. Growling is a bad sign on first impressions. The slight noise he made is a new one, so she will have to wait to see what it means.

As if he could hear Hermes, the man cocks his head to the side, then shakes it. “These old ears can hear the damnedest things. Now, young lady, are you ok?” He looks concerned.

Blinking, since no one normally hears Hermes at first, she nods. “I’m fine. Thought I saw something, but obviously I didn’t.”

The man looks her over carefully, then his eyes narrow, “You remind me of someone.”

Lifting an eyebrow, Bella replies only barely remembering to be polite, “I don’t think I have met you before sir.” It is not a common occurrence for others to mistake her, however she has been wary since Edward leaving. It couldn’t be that easy, for the supernatural world that seemed to be all around her to leave her alone except for Hermes.

The old man chuckles, the sound reminding her of a much younger man. “No, you seem too young for me to remember you the way I do. Too many years out in the sun in the desert. It can do things to you.” He waves his hand in the air dismissing the comment.

With a look on her face as if she is being polite, as she was raised to be, Bella asks, “May I ask who you are?” In reality she is trying to find out more about this old man who sometimes seems to conflict who he is with how old he is. Not something most people would pick up on, but then she has always been observant.

The man smiles, “Rick O’Connell. Nice to meet you. And you are?” He holds his hand out to be shaken.

She smiles shocked, “Bella, Isabella Swan. It’s an honor sir!” This man is the one responsible for so many of these finds!! He and his wife are famous in their line of work, to the point that even some of the outsiders to the field would recognize their work. To be shaking his hand when she is studying this field? Amazing!

He waives her away, looking closer at what had caught the young ladies attention. “Ah. The caretakers must have gotten confused. Jonathan would have made sure that this was fixed. This is not an exhibit that should be public. Though I don’t think there is much harm, I’d rather take some safety precautions.” In reality he is very upset. There are explicit orders about this sarcophagus and others in the collection to never be showed to the public. While some of them are very dangerous, this one is kept as a reminder how much he respected the man who had given everything for love, and not had it returned.

Bella looks confused, as Rick chuckles. “My late wife often had the same look on her face with me. It’s common.” He waves off the look. This young woman had no idea what is going on.

He looks back at the woman in front of him; she had caught his attention when he first saw her walk in. Rick freely admits she would have been one of the few woman he would have chased in his younger days before meeting his wife. With that thought, he hears the growl, and the mark on his arm itches.

His instincts warning him as he has learned to listen to after all this time, Rick looks up, around the room, then back to the coffin that was not supposed to be out in public. Though the Priest fell to his death, there was enough respect for the man that Rick had never wanted to have his resting place for so many years being out for others to view.

Bella is watching the man, however when Hermes growls again, she glances down at the wolf. The wolf’s eyes are glowing, and she glances up when she hears a gasp.

Rick is staring at the wolf by her side that had slowly appeared. A breed he hasn’t seen outside Egypt ever. “Umm, excuse me lady, but are you aware that there is a wolf by your side?” He is also remembering his wife telling him they are the beasts that are thought of being Anubis’ own.

Smiling, but surprised that Rick can see Hermes, she reassures the man. “He has been with me for the last few years, helping me.”

Shaking his head, Rick looks around again, his senses and instincts going crazy. “Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee?”

She smiles, “Be glad to.” With that she and Hermes follow the man, not knowing that this is the start of her new destiny.

* * *

They are settled in the back of the museum, near a place that Bella can tell he is working from. He grabs another cup, and pours her a cup as he asks, “Now, I will be blunt. I have seen some fantastical things, and some things that scare the pants off of me. Your wolf there is one of those things I think might lead to the part where I am running scared and fighting. To be honest lady, I am just too old, and so is my son. And I really don’t want to have my grandson mixed up all in this.” He looks at her, not sharing his secret, and hoping she ain’t here for his family.

Taking a sip of her coffee, Bella chuckles. “I have no idea what you are talking about.” She has no idea what this man might have to do with her or Hermes.

He snorts. Grabbing a chair and sitting in it backwards, he suddenly moves much like a younger man, like the younger man she had caught glimpses of off and on today. Then to her surprise and consternation, he starts pulling off his face. The method of the process, it stretching, then peeling off the wrinkles and so forth that had him looking much older, just has her staring at him in complete shock.

As he does this, Rick continues to inform her, “I seem to have a destiny to fight the undead things in life. I have been told it is an honor, but to be truthful, I just don’t care. Since I have lost my wife to old age, something that somehow has skipped past me, I have been thinking I will be cursed to walking alone in this life.” By this time, a much younger man is in front of her. He is rubbing the last of the latex off of him, and looks at her with a face that matches his words as well as the impression Bella has of him.

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Rick-OConnell.jpg)

Seeing her shock, Rick smiles. “I bet I have a story for you. And in return, I expect to have one in return. And with my luck, it will involve the undead and we will be on the brink of the world being cast into damnation if I don’t act on it.” He arches an eyebrow. “So after I am done, why don’t you tell me what you got, and I can see if I can help you.” He settles in the chair, crossing his arms across the back of it.

Bella crosses her legs, watching the man in front of her tell her a fantastical story of how he met his wife and about Imhotep, the man he pities. She is shocked, but believes every word of it. It is no more fantastical than her story of vampires and such. Plus, the story resounds inside of her, as though she had seen this in a dream.

When he ends his story, she begins her own. He listens to her tale, not being able to help the tightening of his grip on his chair as she tells her tale, and how the boy left her in the end. He never wanted to kill the undead more than at that moment. It is obvious to him that the boy knew what would hurt her the most, and used those words to try to destroy her.

Describing the moment she fell to the ground in the forest, Bella explains, “Since that moment, Hermes appeared to me, and he has been by my side since Edward left. Since then, well since Edward has been around, I can’t seem to get rid of the supernatural. Or what you call the undead. I see places that are not real, I dream of a life I never led.” She looks down, her hair falling to hide her face, as she pets Hermes.

He frowns, as he runs his hand through his hair, thinking. Turning to the table next to him filled with paper all over the place, he shifts through it to find an old journal in his pile. With the intuition from all his years of dealing with this shit, he thumbs through the book.  Finding what he is looking for, opens a page and shows her.

She grabs the book. “That is him. He is in all my dreams. Who is he?” She is looking at the book, taking in the sketch in the pages of a man who she had seen in her dreams, and recently in the glass in the museum.

Rick shakes his head, “Someone I hoped to be at rest, who deserves to be at rest.” He sighs, hoping that maybe this will end better for him.

Later on that night, he leads her to the hotel he is staying in, ordering up dinner to continue the talk they have been having. “So Imhotep fell to his death, because the woman he loved, didn’t care to save him. Thankfully, she died too. But he deserved so much more. He sacrificed everything for her, and nothing came of it.” The sadness and pity her felt for his foe, was very evident not only on his face, but in his voice also.

Bella is sitting cross legged on his bed. “And here you remain the same age after your battle with the mummy in China.” Her finger was tapping her lips as she thinks through it all.

He nods, answering the door and tipping the man. “I learned to look older, and then reinvent myself as my son many a time. Alex has told his grandsons the truth, and we all keep the secret in the family. See while Li gave up her immortality, it still is in her genes, and it seems her children carry more of a longevity than the rest of us. Jonathan gave a good run, but some drunken idiot killed him. So I have no doubt that we can die, but Li is set on the belief that I am going to be around forever. And to be honest Bella, that is just too damned long. Seems the only man who could have helped me with this curse or blessing, is the man I watched fall to his death.” He sighs. He wouldn’t mind living forever if Evie was at his side. Jonathan would be good, but he would give anything for Evie.

Bella looks down at Hermes at her feet and finally asks, “What does this all have to do with me?” She is humbled, but haunted. Why is she having these dreams? Why does all the weird stuff happen to her?

Rick looks up at her as he hands her a plate of food, “You tell me. You are here with Anubis’ beast, you dream of Imhotep, and you see him in the glass in front of the tomb they imprisoned him in. Truthfully I have no idea what is going on, but it seems centered on you.” He shrugs, accepting the world that he and she live in. One that most individuals would think a book or a movie.

Rick throws a meaty bone to Hermes. He catches it and starts gnawing on it, watching his charge. She needs this meeting, and as much as he hates the fact that he can sense that the man, Rick, has some affection for her that he is not liking, she needs the man. He sighs, trusting his Master knows what is going on.

While eating her chicken, Bella thinks over the past few years and what all it can mean. She realizes there is one constant and shares her revelation with Rick.  “Often when I have dreams, I am told by an unknown voice that this is wrong.  It seems that the consensus is the past is wrong; not just my past, but that of another life.  But I have no idea how it is wrong. What part of everything that happened was so wrong?” It makes no sense!

Looking up from his plate, Rick answers her. “If you ask me, it was when Imhotep died the second time. Or if we really want to go back, it was when he fell in love with the woman who didn’t love him as much as he did her. He deserved someone like you. When a man loves someone that much, to suffer all he did, it means so much more. So maybe Anubis is deciding to reward his most faithful follower.” Thinking of how loyal Bella had been to this Edward, and to have it wasted, it seemed Imhotep and Bella are perfect for each other; knowing the pain of being used, not being loved as they loved another.

Bella just stares at him, aghast at the idea. “Are you saying I am some reward for some thousands year old priest?” That everything she had went through was because of this? Was her life the way it is to mold her for this man?

He snarks back at her, “You saying you deserve a weak-willed vampire boy who can’t even kiss you as you deserve? There is a time and place for everything. But I cannot seem to think this world has gone to hell in such a short time. All the mysteries are gone; all the wonders are stale. And it is not just that I have lived too long. There is no Shangri La; no oasis in the desert. Even Hamunaptra is gone. There is nothing to wonder at. This seems such a sad world.” He leans back in his chair, the fire fading that had just surfaced. He has lived too long.

Bella stares at him, and thinks of the life he has led, the stories rich in magic and wonder. Terror too, but there had been things that had awed him he told her when he thinks back on it all. She slowly nods. Then can’t help but quip at him, “And to have sparkly vampires? I really want to know how that came about.”

He laughs. “Exactly. To be truthful, I think we need to head back to where it all started, and see what we can find. Luckily, for us, to begin, all we need is a trip to England. Which we need to do to take the sarcophagus back. I have way too much respect for the man to have people gawking at him like this.” He is still angry about that.

She smiles. “Who would think a harmless look at some Egyptian remains would result on a journey like this?” Bella just shakes her head. These type of things don’t happen anymore.

Rick shudders, “Never say that to me, lady. Seems way too many of my adventures start out like this.” Flashbacks occur of all the times that a simple ‘go look and see’ started things. Starting with the first one to Hamunaptra.

* * *

**Final Count: 3,166 words**

**Fairfarren ~**


	3. In The Business of Rust

** **

**Pre Edit Count – 1,261 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: The World You Want_ by Switchfoot

* * *

_Previously:_

_She smiles. “Who would think a harmless look at some Egyptian remains would result on a journey like this?” Bella just shakes her head. These type of things don’t happen anymore._

_Rick shudders, “Never say that to me, lady. Seems way too many of my adventures start out like this.” Flashbacks occur of all the times that a simple go look and see started things. Starting with the first one to Hamunaptra._

_Now:_

* * *

The following morning, Bella is boarding the private place with Hermes ever present by her side. Rick had gone ahead when they arrived, saying he needed to talk to the pilots. Coming back from the cockpit, Rick sees her, smiling at her he asks, “Ready to change the world?”

Rolling her eyes Bella replies, “I’m sorry but I am not seeing how this will really change the world. Making one man not die can’t change all that much.”

Sitting across from her, Rick taps his fingers on the arm, thinking of a way to put this so she will understand. “Did you really think before you met your Cullens that there is a world out there that is different than what you imagined?”

Watching the man in front of her, “No.” She is shaking her head, as Bella answers him.

He nods, noticing that the doors to the aircraft are now closed. “Imagine all the world richer by all those things we imagined as kids. The dragons, the gods, the mystical, all of it. I think science has taken over the world, and it has slowly stripped all the amazing things out of it. Now we are here watching the rain forests being stripped, the bottoms of the oceans probed and the mysteries of outer space so forth. We are concentrating on the world in front of us, even abandoning the chance to see extraordinary things beyond the stars. As we strip the world of the mysticism and rely only on science, then the world gets to be very boring.”

She blinks. “You really feel that way?” And she is slowly thinking over what he said, and how much richer her world became after knowing the supernatural is real.

Nodding as he settles better in his seat as the plane starts to taxi. Rick expands on what he is saying, “Imagination is being limited to the few, and even then it is mocked as others try to lose themselves for a couple hours. A book, a movie, even songs… all these things are slowly losing their appeal as science gets to be more out there. There seems to be more a demand for it to be realistic to have the unknown out there.”

Playing devil’s advocate, Bella answers him back, “But what of what is real. Do you think that there is any difference in having sparkly vampires out there? That mankind can be allowed to know about it without wanting to attack them?” She knows fear is a human response. While she acknowledges the pluses in knowing about them herself, not all humans are as accepting. To be realistic, they shouldn’t be. She knew a small group, per themselves, that ate animal blood instead of their natural prey. It might have changed her whole perception if they had been normal vampires.

Rick snorts, looking out the windows as they climb in the air. “Is this the world you want? Cause yes, they will hunt them down. It won’t be easy to change the world, but for it to gain the sense it lost of being amazed at what is out there, that pure wonder we lost as a child, earlier and earlier every year? Yeah. We need that. Badly. I regret my part in making it all happen.” Shrugging off the fact that he had little choice in it all, Rick is sad at the world he is due to live forever in, a sad world.

With that he closes his eyes, and Bella is left to think of what they are about to do. To go out and see if they can change the world, to make it into something else. All by saving one man’s life. She leans her head back into the window and she is soon asleep, her mind wondering.

* * *

In her dreams, that magical place that she often watches things in, Bella has a shock as the man she now knows as Imhotep comes to her. He stands in front of her, staring at her as he takes in the woman he has been promised for so long. “Can you forgive me?” It might be the most romantic thing, but for his first words to her, it is to him the most important.

She cocks her head to the side as she repeats, “Forgive you? For what?”

Hoping this may mean they might have a chance, he steps closer, “For not being there when you needed me. For you being the one who has to come and get me. For being so weak to fall in love with a woman who didn’t deserve it. For all the wrongs I have done, to lead us here.” His dark eyes never leave her, as he tells all, bares his soul to this woman who has come to mean everything to him over the years he has watched over her.

Bella smiles at the man in front of her while she asks, “And if none of it happened, would we have the chance of meeting?”

He smiles at her intuition. He slowly moves his hand to touch her so softly. “Not from what I have been told. You are aware of what you are about to undertake?” He wants her to be aware of all of it. This woman he would hide nothing from.

She continues to smile at him while she answers him, “Changing the world according to Rick.” She is mesmerized by this enchanting man she has seen now in her dreams, and lately, outside of them.

His smile gets bigger, showing his teeth as he remembers, “Oh yes. The O’Connells. Very worthy adversaries. Hard to understand that they are on my side now.” He shakes his head in disbelief at the end.

Laughing Bella teases him, “You do know he is immortal now. And he hates it.”

He nods, his composure serious as he thinks over his brother’s problem. “He lost his other half. When we remake the world, I will guarantee she never leaves him. Love like theirs needs to admired. And it will be. My brother will gain his other half back as I gain him at my back where he belongs, guarding it.” He thinks of all he needs to fix when he returns.

Bella’s eyes widen and she suddenly gets it. “He was never to be your adversary was he?”

Imhotep shakes his head. “He is my brother. The Gods don’t work on our time, but theirs. Anubis knew what would need to happen and with the blessings of his fathers and siblings, they have worked together to bring us all together. But so much of the world has been lost to disbelief. Even you with your knowledge of the cold ones are not immune. Can you change, my promised one?” His hand cups her cheek, reverently.

He then tells her in a softer voice, “My God is powerful, to make one such as you for me. To allow me to have the hope of your love. And I will gain this for me. But I am thinking that there will be much to overcome. There seems to be a trial of three. Three times we have to avail to come to our happy ending. Are you willing for this journey?” He pleads with her in his eyes, to do it, to prove to his gods that she is worthy of being his love. He has watched over her since he knew of her, and he has no doubts she is deserving of all she is to be.

She chuckles, a tear appearing in her eye. She informs him, “The vampire commanded me. The immortal cajoles me to fix the world, and you ask. For that alone, I will try. The world is a poorer place right now.” And the fact he cares enough to ask, not try to talk her into it, or worse, treat her as one who cannot understand and just order her about.

Elated by the news, Imhotep relays to her, “Then come to Hamunaptra with O’Connell and the book. Ask him about it, he knows where it is. Once you possess it, you will become the Mistress of the Dead. With this, we will be a step closer to where I will be by your side, and will never leave even if your order me away. For once I am yours, not even death can separate us. That is true love. With me, I will bring my brother’s other half.”

He leans forward and kissing her brow, he mutters something so low she cannot hear it then hears him tell her, “Go to the waking world, my love. I will be waiting here in your dreams for you until I can stand by your side.”

With those words, Bella’s eyes fly open, and she is disorientated. The man who has haunted her sleep, who she has watched to do some of the most powerful things she has ever seen, is now there for her. He has told her, and they had their first talk face to face. Or whatever that was.

She is gasping for air, feeling different. As if this is a different reality than the one she has been living in all this time.

Rick is suddenly in her view, telling her, “Breathe with me. That’s it, Bella. Breathe with me. Yes…” He takes a deep breathe, working to get her from hyperventilating. Finally he slowly calms her down.

He then raises his eyebrows, “What happened? I know that reaction, you were in the Land of the Dead.” It was not a welcome experience the few times he has had the misfortune to waking up from the waking dreams. But the sweet comfort of seeing his Evie for those moments makes it all worth it.

With his words, her eyes widen, “I was dreaming as normal.” The Land of the Dead? Why would she be there? How would she get there?

Rick chuckles, “And you normally dream in the Land of the Dead? Or was this dream just a bit different?” He is not sure which would be the case, but he suspects this may have been the first time she actually was part of the Land of the Dead, not just an observer.

She looks down, noticing that Hermes had his head in her lap. Unknown to her, he is keeping her grounded. She pets him, whilst slowly revealing, “He called you his brother. That when he comes, he will bring back your other half. That we will have three trials to triumph over before we complete it all.” Her eyes are looking back in her memory with Imhotep.

Rick is watching her, and with her information, he slowly nods, “Yep, you were talking to him, and to do that you would need to be in the Land of the Dead. Did he tell you anything else?” His eyes intent on her, wanting the information they have received. He didn’t think Imhotep would visit without giving her some information on what they need to be doing.

“We need some book, and go back to where it all started.” Then their eyes connect as they both say the name at the same time, “Hamunaptra.”

* * *

**Final Count: 1,970 words**

****Fairfarren ~** **

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Desert-Gif.gif)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is published up to Chapter 5 on my Website: www.kittyinaz.com. 01/17/15 will see the next chapter, Chapter 6 published.


	4. Ones That Seek and Find

# Chapter 4 Ones That Seek and Find

****

**Pre Edit Count – 2,001 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Comes and Goes (In Waves)_ by Greg Laswell

* * *

_Previously:_

_“We need some book, and go back to where it all started.” Then their eyes connect as they both say the name at the same time, “Hamunaptra.”_

_Now:_

* * *

The following morning, they disembarked the plane. Within an hour, Rick and Bella make it to his home in the suburbs of London. Bella is shocked with all the stuff in the house as she follows him through the house, frowning as she looks up and sees an unusual object in an unlikely place. “Is there really a sword-“

Rick is moving quickly through the home, answering her as he strides to the pantry. “In the rafters? Yep. You never know when you might need one up there.” He heads to a part of what looks like the rest of the wall until he presses on it to reveal a keypad.

She laughs behind her hand. “Really?” She can’t help but think of how Bond like it all is. But the fact of the sword in the rafters being a likely source for a weapon tickles her funny bone.

He looks behind him at her as he quickly keys in the code to allow him into the basement. “You would be surprised. I was attacked here by mummies once. And not having weapons handy made it a point to me to always be prepared.”

When the door pops open, he holds it open, as Hermes descends before her. On their way here, Rick has deduced that the wolf is the guardian of Bella. He grins as she descends before him as he thinks how much she needs one with the chances she takes. Vampires, of all the types of Supernatural that are out there, she finds the one that has nothing to do with the tales? Well, it does seem she has an affinity for the undead, and they for her. Suits her if what he thinks is true with the conversations they had on the way here. He just shakes his head slightly as he thinks how fitting it is if Imhotep is for her.

Bella is soon down the stairs looking confused at the empty book holder before her. Is it supposed to be where the book is? Rick stops behind her, informing her, “Test number one.” He watches her, and though he believes she has been the one he has been waiting on to take the damn book, he cannot let go of the need to protect the world. It is what he is; protector of mankind according to the tales, and all that jazz. All he wanted was a life for his family, especially Evie. This is his best chance to right a wrong.

She glances behind her at him then looks at the holder before her and the rest of the room. There is nothing in the room; in fact, she realizes that there are no lights, nothing. Looking down, Bella notices Hermes’ paw prints in the dust. Seeing them, she follows them exactly, her feet actually overlaying his paw prints. After starting the journey, only then does she see that the path she is on is a lone sliver of rock dropping away on either side.

Her eyebrows rise at the shocking fact of there being an optical illusion of there being no path in the basement of the house she is in; it is only the book holder in an empty room. Shaking off the thought, Bella follows the trail left behind by her faithful companion. She notices that as she passes the book holder, which is on its own pillar of rock rising out of the depths below and formed into the pedestal then passes a corner, that the pillar is what makes the start of the path hidden completely. She never looks back; never hesitating as she follows the trail of paw prints, trusting her wolf to lead her through safely. He leads her through some tight passages, but sure enough, she exits into a room that seems to be wavering in a dream-like way in front of her. She blinks instinctively in an attempt to clear her eyes. Only then does it all solidify, and a whispering sound starts in her mind.

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/the_mummy_19991.jpg)

Walking forward per the words that the whispering words in her head have hinted at in her mind, Bella reaches out into the air. She grasps a heavy weight, and pulls it towards her. All of a sudden, as though she is pulling something through a veil, an object appears before her in the form of a book. The whispering does not stop after the book is brought forth. Balancing the book in her arm, she reaches out to the right of the area from where she had retrieved the book to grab another object. This appears as though it is not being pulled, but appears in her hand as though it was there the whole time. It reveals a scarab-like object, the thing springing open in sharp triangular pieces as it fully appears in her hand.

Bella looks at the heavy book in her arms, then back at the object in her other hand. Seeing the imprint of the same design as the object, she juggles the objects slightly; the book somehow becomes lighter for this maneuver and only then is she able to put them together. A flash travels over the book, the scarab blending in with the rest of the book.

“Hmm. Never seen it do that.” Watching her warily from the spot where the path comes in the room, Rick wonders what it means.

She looks over her shoulder at Rick. “What?”

He nods towards the book. “You are holding the Book of the Dead. The scarab has long been a way to keep people away from the book. It went missing when I put the book down here. Where you pulled the scarab out from was a dead spot. The book reacted to the area, as though it was a repelling magnet. Evie and I never figured out why that specific spot reacted to the book, but we figured the book was safe down here.  The scarab had disappeared one day while we were in Egypt. Evie never allowed it near the book again. So for it to appear all the way here…” Rick just shakes his head in confusion.   He tells her the rest of the story. “In addition, no matter who broke into the house, many died before they reached here. And then were gone.” He shrugs.

Thinking back to all the times he had seen others with the book, Rick nods to her as he informs her, “But the book never glowed, not even in _his_ hands. I suspect you are the true owner of the book. I hope that means that now it is yours, and only you will be able to read it. Which is great in my mind. Too many people have tried to use that book to only be killed, or to have those that are mine almost killed.”

Then he stands back, holding his hand out. “Shall we leave here? I am not ashamed to say it; this place has always given me the heebee-jeebies.”

Bella cannot help but laugh as she walks past him. “And how old are you?” The book is lighter in her hands, feeling nothing more than paper, not the stone and metal she feels under her touch.

Following behind her, Rick answers her flatly, “Old enough to be your grandfather. Let’s get moving; now that the book is in your hands, I won’t doubt that all of creation will be after us. They always seem to know when that thing is moving somehow.” Sliding by her, he starts to grab weapons as they make their way up.

She laughs as she follows him, and when they are back inside the house proper, he looks back at her. “I think you will want some cooler clothing, but we will wait until we are in Egypt.” He leads her towards the house entrance… then stops as someone pounds on his door.

“That’s not good.”

Feeling like she is getting lost in events again, Bella looks up at him. “What?”

Staring at the door, remembering this is how it always starts, Rick absentmindedly answers her. “Someone at the door when we just got the book. Umm… Hide. See if you can make the thing hide itself, and keep your wolf by your side.”

He pushes her in the study, wincing as he remembers all the stuff in there that is probably going to be ruined. He listens until the sounds of her moving are gone, then grabs a gun from the umbrella stand. He stuffs it in the back of his pants, then grabs even more weapons and puts them on him as he heads to the door. The only difference is that these are ‘normal’ unlike the ones downstairs. He tries to keep the appropriate weapons in their place. He really needed that sword back then.

Bringing his focus back to the here and now, Rick opens the door seeing a huge man with red eyes. He shakes his head. “Why? Why can’t I be wrong once?”

The guy looks at him oddly, but attempts to do this the easy way by asking, “Is there an Isabella Swan here?”

Rick looks up at him with his face looking at the guy like he is an idiot. “Really? Why the hell would you even associate that name with me? Can we try a better line?”

Blinking, the giant of a man looks puzzled. “You don’t know her?”

Rick cannot believe this guy, while hoping it may just be this easy, tells him, “No.” He goes to shut the door, but the man puts his arm in front of the door closing.

“But we saw her coming in this house.”

Rolling his eyes, Rick sighs. Nope, it won’t be that easy. “Oh that woman? She is a descendant of mine. I found her and am helping her out. Now please leave. I need to settle her in.”

Knowing this isn’t going to work, as nothing seems to do when he is in these situations, he looks up and mutters, “You know you can help us out some. Just a little bit you know.”

The vampire in front of him stares at him then his nostrils flare. He looks even more puzzled as he mutters, “I saw her come in, but now her scent is gone.”

Rick raises his eyebrows, asking, “What?”

The guys looks down at him, and tells him, obviously confused. “I’m sorry to have bothered you. I must have made a mistake.” With that he heads down the stair way, his thick coat pulled up and his cap low on his head.

Rick, confused at his stroke of luck, looks up and says hesitantly, “Thank you?”

* * *

In the library, Bella scrunches in the small spot she found after Hermes herded her to this area. She mutters to the wolf, “You know, if I need to move, I won’t be able to.”

The wolf huffs and stands there, ears perked to hear anything. Bella looks down at the huge book, and she groans. “Try to get it smaller? This thing is made out of metal!” She doesn’t care that it already has made its weight almost nothing for her; there is only so much Bella’s mind can handle.

With nothing else to do, Bella opens the book, blinking rapidly as a flare of light comes from the book. The words dance in front of her. When the young woman puts her hand on the page trying to make it settle, instead of feeling the carvings, it feels as if the information is flowing into her brain as an ancient magical form of Braille. Her eyes widen as knowledge floods her brain, and as she can feel her body changing. As for what is changing, that is unknown, but there is something happening.

After what feels like a few seconds to her, she hears Rick’s voice coming as though from a long hallway. “C’mon Bella. We’ve got to get moving, and I can’t do anything with your guard wolf not letting me close.”

She blinks and looks up at Rick. She imparts to him, “This is mine.”

He nods as he holds his hand out for her to take, then pulls her out of the chair. “I figured that out lady. Now can you hide the thing?”

She nods as the information to do exactly that floods her mind. Taking the book, Bella concentrates, distantly hearing herself mumbling something that her mind is telling her is not English, but she stubbornly ignores it. Suddenly the book shrinks into the scarab-looking thing that opened the book. She then looks up at him, her eyebrow lifted as if asking if that will work.

Rick has his mouth open, having heard her speak ancient Egyptian better than his wife ever had. But he cannot deny the fact that she had done what he asked. “Don’t lose it.”

She replies to him in a dazed voice, “I can’t. It’s part of me. “

Realizing she is not all here, Rick grabs her ignoring the wolf. “Good, now let’s go. One of your vampires was here. The bad kind. You know, the red-eyed ones?”

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/bugatti-veyron-super-sports.jpg)

Bella is quickly catching up, but she is still lost because of the information downloaded to her brain. She lets him pull her out a side door she had never seen, and he has her in a Bugatti with himself in the other seat, and Hermes in her lap, somehow changing to the smaller wolf form he sometimes appears to her as.

He mutters, “I’ll never get the dog smell out.” And just quirks an eyebrow at the wolf when he huffs.

He soon is taking off, trying to get to the airfield Rick had requested the plane move to. It is a lesser known one. In fact it is really a private airfield – his own- but he hates to use it. Jonathan had wanted it and so it was installed. Alex had used it when he learned to fly, but Rick really hates the newer planes. Not that he liked the old ones after his ride when he met Imhotep the first time.

Reminding himself that he needs to stay in the here and now, Rick looks at his rearview window and sighs. “I just got this car. Can’t they wait for it to be at least a week old until they wreck it?”

Bella cannot help but laugh at the sound of exasperation in his voice. She tries to hide behind Hermes, as she can see the wolf laughing at him also.

He glimpses at them as he turns a corner at a high rate of speed, explaining to them both, “This is only the 3rd time I drove it, and both of the first two times were learning how to drive it. Now we are being followed, and I suspect it is the vampires again. I hate to ask it, but since they are the undead, and under the providence of that book, can you do anything?” Anything would be better than having to try to explain to Alex what happened to the car.

She quickly scans through her mind over what she has learned as the scarab suddenly glows in front of her. It has changed itself to the size of a charm on a necklace, hiding itself on a chain around her neck. Now glowing and levitated to her eye level, they both can hear the drifting of pages, with Bella glowing with it.

Rick stares at her, and he bangs the steering wheel when she is locked in the trance-like state again. “Dammit!” Not the time for her to be lost in the damn thing, but then, it was not like she really had time to look over the book.

He reaches down beside him for the shotgun he had placed there when he got in. Looking at the wolf, he raises an eyebrow. “Can you do anything?”

Hermes huffs, then looks back at Bella then him. Rick informs him, “Yeah, yeah; protect her. Got it. Now can you do anything?”

The wolf rolls its eyes, fading out from her lap. Then Rick realizes the outside of the car is black, and he realizes what is happening. “Holy Shit!” The wolf had appeared outside the car in a large enough form to completely hide the vehicle, and still growing.

He soon is driving as fast as he can, quickly reaching the airfield. He is lifting Bella out of her seat when Hermes trots up. He looks at the wolf. “Is the book with her?” He had looked for it briefly, trying to see where it is, or the scarab. Not wanting to leave the hell-cursed items behind to cause more havoc.

The dog barks once, his tail wagging, then leads them to the airplane. Rick sighs. “Now I am listening to a wolf. Give me some Yetti’s any day.” He carries her to the plane, telling them to take off. He settles her on one of the couches, and then sits down.

He looks off thinking, wishing his wife was here.  “I sure hope you can fulfill your promises to her Imhotep.”

* * *

**Final count, 2,912 words.**

**Fairfarren**

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Desert-Gif.gif)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are posting chapter 7 this Saturday, 1/24/15 on my site: www.kittyinaz.com


	5. We’re Never Going Home

**Pre Edit Count – 2,503 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Never Going Home_ by Semi Precious Weapons

* * *

_Previously:_

_The dog barks once, his tail wagging, then leads them to the airplane. Rick sighs. “Now I am listening to a wolf. Give me some Yetti’s any day.” He carries her to the plane, telling them to take off. He settles her on one of the couches, and then sits down._

_He looks off thinking, wishing his wife was here. “I sure hope you can fulfill your promises to her Imhotep.”_

_Now:_

* * *

In the world we consider the real one, Bella stirs on the couch before she drops off into the dream world. In seconds, Imhotep is before her, worried. “My love, you need to take it easier.” He smoothes her hair away from her head. He didn’t think there was anything left that he would hate more than watching others trying to woo his love away. But watching her – knowing that only his brother and Hermes was there to protect her – that was a whole new sense of what hell is.

She snorts. “I would love to, but unless you can take care of the others hunting us, I don’t think that will be possible.” She is blinking, trying to understand all that has happened in such a short amount of time. One moment all was normal; the next, it seems the supernatural world awakened and things are happening too fast to comprehend. Maybe there is something to what Rick said about the Book of the Dead attracting trouble.

Bowing his head as he tries to reign in his temper, Imhotep announces to her, giving warning to the universe. “My beloved should not be hunted. When I rise, they are going to regret hunting your every foot step.” He looks up; his dark eyes are full of vengeful wrath. There is an actual flame in the depths, showing he is more than human.

Bella sighs. “Does it always have to be vengeance and such?” She leans back against the comfort of the furnishings behind her, tired already of the theme she has found in the Supernatural world. Death seems to travel behind them, all in the name of vengeance. She shudders as she remembers her own personal terror in the form of a red-headed vampire that keeps trying to hunt her, all in the name of vengeance.

Not able to help it, Imhotep chuckles at her words. “I take it you do not want me to punish those that are making your life so harrowing; causing you black out from trying to gain too much knowledge. You will wake up with the worst headache you have ever suffered!” He lifts an eyebrow at her, waiting on her response. His beloved may have a kind heart, but he has seen what happens when she is pushed to the limits. She can be as ruthless as he is. Bella is really perfect for him in every way.

“Well, if you want to put it that way, then yeah. I guess some retribution is in order. Why the pain though?”

Grinning at her for allowing him his vengeance, he explains. “It is because you are being physically changed to be able to be my consort through the coming ages as well as the Mistress of the Book of the Dead. That book should have never been able for anyone other than you to read it. In fact, it had been a sign of you being the one for it to react the way it did. I was foolish and thought that anyone who could use the book was the one I had waited on. It should have told me something that my brother’s love was able to open and read the book.” He shakes his head ruefully, “Especially when her idiotic brother was the one who banished me the first time! I would think the fact he couldn’t read all the symbols but say the words from his sister’s translation of it would give me a hint!”

Sighing at the mistakes he had made because of his need to be loved, Imhotep informs her, “Since you are the Mistress of the book, as each page of information is given to you, the page disappears from the book forever. For as long as you are here, it has no need to be around. ”

Bella sits straight up. “No! What if I die? Or something happens to me?” Such a valuable resource – that even Imhotep had used the book to bring back the woman he thought was her – should not be lost!

Unable to help the chuckle bubbling up from being in her presence, Imhotep gently pushes her to lie back down. Only then she sees that the bed she is on has flowing linens all around it, moving with the wind, and giving a sense of concealment from what is around her. It is surprisingly comfortable for it being in the Land of the Dead.

Watching her, he gently informs her, “That is what the book is changing, beloved. You need to read a page a night, and the information will remain inside of you. You are to be my equal in every sense of the word. How can you be that if you do not have the same information I have?” He smiles. He can do so much with nature as well as command the dead, but what she will be able to do is the other side. She will be able to raise the dead, to commune with the dead themselves if need be. They will compliment and even overlap in a few areas. But all relationships have to be even to work as well as he wishes his to do. He has long envied his brother in his luck with his woman. Now he gets to experience the same.

Not knowing what is going through the head of the man in front of her, Bella lifts an eyebrow. “But in a way I have different information that you do.” She is referencing the time they are in.

He chuckles, and his thumb rubs her cheek affectionately when he cups her face. “Do you think I do nothing here in the Land of the Dead? I watch, my beloved, as I have always. I have always been able to understand what is going on around me, and have made the effort to do the same now. I have and will retain all the information, all the advancements, I have seen over the years. And wherever, _whenever,_ we end up together when this is all done, it will be with all of us retaining the memories of all these years. My brother already has altered his thinking so that he can blend with the times, and the rest of our group will do the same. However, you need to learn to defend yourself and the Book will allow you to do so.” The last is said seriously. Since he has watched, he has known of the need of his beloved to not be the one in need of being rescued. He thinks she is long overdue it, but can understand the frustration.

When she looks up at him, he smiles at her. “As Rick has mentioned, when the Book of the Dead surfaces, it does seem to draw creatures to it. However, at the same time he is not aware that you do the same thing. The cold dead ones are chasing you; they have done it for a long time in one fashion or the other. The Seer has told them if you achieve your goals, their lives will be changed. It does not matter that all of the world inhabitants will have their lives changed; they are only caring about theirs.” The last is said angrily, and is one of the things that he will enforce. They are to answer to him. All those in their world, especially the Dead, will answer to him. They have run roughshod over humanity for long enough.

Forcing himself to try to explain why she has not noticed until now the hunting of the Cold Ones, Imhotep smiles. “Hermes, as you have named him, has protected you many times. As he did this time. They are frightened of him, and with good reason. As a guardian and a creature of our world, he can damage them easily. In fact, he has torn numerous ones up that have come from one vengeance seeking individual. Because of this, she has gone and taken the knowledge of you to others. With the fact you are protected so much, unfortunately, this makes them more determined to capture you. They have already organized a search for you, and you will have to gain the information in the book as fast as possible to be able to fight them. But no more than a page a night; the pain you will encounter because of it will be overwhelming.   Night time is best. It is when you are the most protected until you get to Egypt. You might want to warn Rick that there will be a reaction to you entering your land.” He chuckles, knowing that the immortal man will have much too clear an idea of what the land can do after dealing with him before.

Bella’s brows furrow. “My land?” She is paying attention, but to call Egypt her land? She has never been there!

He nods as his eyes trace her face, committing it to memory as he does each and every time he sees her. “Anubis and his father have decreed it. We will be the rulers of new Egypt as well as the leader of the Supernaturals. Seems your pure heart is enough to keep me on an even keel. In fact, though Anubis is your Lord, seems Ra had quite a bit in the say of your making. You, my beloved, are one of the most crucial people on this earth. You are to bring everything back.” His eyes glow with the knowledge that she is perfect for him, and was made so by the actions of his Gods.

Not understanding what he means, Bella shakes her head, denying his words. “I am a normal girl of 20 years old. The only male to ever think of me more than just the girl next door, the bookworm, left me in a forest alone. I have parents. I have a little sister now! I do not understand what you are talking about!” A god had a say in her making? Did this mean that she is not human? That her parents, the bumbling pair of them, are not hers?

He pulls her to him, calming her. “Your parents were brought together to make you. Though our Lord is very upset at the treatment of you, he could not change much until Ra had allowed him to release a bit of his essence into the world. That essence is Hermes. He was my guardian when I was human, and it is very fitting he is yours. Beloved, I am sorry this information seems distressing to you. How I wish I could make it better, but truly, what would you have me do?” He is confused. Any normal being would be thrilled that she is so special that the very Gods had a hand in her making. Why is she upset? He had thought this would please her!

She stares up at him, and finally crumbles in his arms crying. He holds her closer, comforting the woman who means everything to him. He has watched over her since the second she was born and he knew she was his. He had watched when she received each bump and cut as a child, then visited her to kiss them better. He had seen the signs of her being God touched; the way she seemed to be an old soul, to be able to handle things that would have broken lesser individuals.

Imhotep has been beside her every step of her life, and the impotent rage when the undead started being attracted to her had him trying to protect her. He had failed ultimately, and the rage he had when she gave her first kiss to the mind reader, if he had been corporeal, he would have destroyed the world. His rage has always been something to be feared, and one of the things that she has tempered in him, as long as she is safe.

He had always been in her dreams, watching over them. Then came the time when Anubis was allowed to release his essence, his magic in the world, that he was able to interact her dreams. With this new development, he has taken the opportunity to slowly show her his entire life. He did this to even the exchange of information, to allow her to know of him as he has learned of her. He has deeply treasured the times that they had talked after each instance.

It has been a slow process, but it is what she needed. That she is able to see his past and make her own judgments, which had always been in his favor, he had reveled in it then and even now. For now she is more accepting of him being here. She knows all of him; the mistakes he has made; the deaths he has caused. Everything. He needed her to know, to accept him.

Imhotep knew she thought they were just dreams the entire time, until she met Rick. He had known how important it was to make sure they meet, that he had begged for the chance to show himself that one time. He was the one who made them real to her and she believed enough to allow herself to start to interact with him in her dreams. They have advanced slowly to the point that she is now resting in his palace in the Land of the Dead. He brought her here to heal faster. He could not deal with her being in pain.

With this all in mind, he looks down at her as she asks, “How much of all of this real. Is this really you?”

Thinking of his earlier thoughts, Imhotep cannot help the smile on his face as he looks down at her. “It is all me. I have been by your side since you were a baby. But since Hermes came about, you have gotten to know me. I have tried to show you everything, even the bad parts. I wanted you to know me as I know you.”

She blushes. “You’ve seen everything?” Her mind thinking of Edward and how he watched her.

He nods down at her. “Yes. I have been by your side throughout your life, oftentimes raging silently on events in your life. Hating that I could not comfort you, nor heal you. Bella, my beloved, I am so sorry for what you have gone through.”

She is blushing, and she is looking down. “So you saw everything. Even things I thought were private?” In her mind, she is mortified. She is also ignoring the voice in the back of her mind trying to tell her that this is nothing to get upset about.

He nods, not seeing the danger in sharing with her. “And I shared everything with you.” Imhotep is surprised when the outburst comes.

“It’s not the same thing!”

He stares at her as she is pushing him away. He frowns, “My love, what is the problem?”

The mortification as she thinks of so many times that she did something then calmed herself thinking of how it didn’t matter since she was alone. But now she is learning that she has never been alone, not with what he is telling her! How much has he seen of her mistakes? The stupid things? Oh God, what of her being naked? Or the times when she had _those_ type of dreams, or even pleasured herself? He had seen so much more!! Even what Edward had seen had been embarrassing later on when she had thought of it. But Imhotep has seen more!

She stares at him, her face a deep red. “You saw everything, no matter if I wanted someone seeing it or not. You CHOSE to share with me your life. It is two totally different things!” She is trying to voice her emotions, but to be honest; it isn’t like Bella had many chances to do that in her life. The one time she tried, Edward left her. So right now, she is mortified, ashamed of what he could have seen. And with everything going on, with the earlier thought in the house that she is being pushed to be the woman everyone had to save again, comes out in a need to slap at someone, anyone. And unfortunately, Imhotep had given that outlet with his words.

She scoots to the edge of the bed, and Imhotep reaches out to her. “My love!”

She turns her back on him. “Can’t you understand?” Shaking her head with tears flowing down, ignoring any reason that is trying to break through the panic attack, she lashes out as she holds her head down. “You violated me!”

“Never!”

She looks up, asking of some higher power to take pity on her. “Can I go back please?”

Imhotep gives a wordless sound of despair as she disappears. He is soon over at the last spot she was at, falling to his knees. Lost. And the souls in the Land of the Dead send up a wailing keen as they feel their master’s heartache.

* * *

Waking up, Bella gives the gasp that Rick has commented is common with coming back from the Land of the Dead. Hearing it, he is soon by her side, holding her up as she breathes, but then he gets concerned as she begins to sob.

Frowning, Rick asks, “What is wrong? I know you were with him again. What could make you this upset?” He had been thinking it was better that she had the time with him, to help her talk over the changes that are happening. That hopefully he will tell her what it means about the book acting different. Any information really would help at this point. Nothing is worse than not knowing and being lost in the world that had only made complete sense the day before.

She sobs, and this is one of those times he wishes his wife was here, since he is ill-equipped at dealing with crying females. He just made all the soothing noises that he had done for Alex and Evie, hoping that she will return to the woman who had dealt with the horrors earlier with laughter and make sense soon.

It takes a while, but Bella calms. She leaves Rick, going to the bathroom and washing her face. She looks in the mirror at her reflection. Instead of just seeing herself, she sees the shadow of Imhotep in the mirror, looking so lost and in pain. She turns her head on him.

What she does not realize is that he is able to be seen because of him begging for that, for something to allow her to know when he is around by allowing his shadow to be there. He doesn’t fully understand why she is upset, but he is trying. The last thing he understood was that she didn’t like him watching her without her knowing.

She exits the bathroom, some of the fire she is full of showing in her eyes. Rick holds up his hands toward her. “Now, lady, no need to get mad at _me_. I have no idea what even happened nor am I him.” He is all too aware of that fire and the damage it can do.

She glares at him, upset that he took the chance to let out some of the anger and lost feeling she has. She throws herself in a seat, only aware of how childish it is after she is seated. He watches her, and sighs before going to sit next to her. “Look, I have no idea what happened in your meeting tonight, but is it really that bad?”

Bella lifts an eyebrow as an answer, and Rick decides to enlighten her. “I am male; I admit it. We fuck up a lot. Is what he did so bad?” If nothing else, he can save himself; he doesn’t need a lover’s spat. Not when he suspects it is a reaction to hell being released in such a short amount of time. She had told him how pleasing it had been to be normal for the short amount of time.

She huffs, then bites out. “Watching over me _every_ second since I was born?” Her words are like acid, but what she fails to understand is that Rick is impartial, and he will not give into her.

He looks at her puzzled, “And? What is the big deal?”

She gives him a pointed look, and his eyes widen. “ _EVERY_ second?”

She nods then looks away.

Rick mutters to himself. “Oh boy, you really landed yourself in it now, Mummy boy.” Rick runs a hand through his hair as he tries to think of something, anything to say to help fix this. If she is telling the truth, and her reactions are a huge tell that she is, then Imhotep had really fucked up.

She is sitting there mulishly when Rick straightens up, a thought revealing itself from their talk in Seattle. “Hey, didn’t you say sparkle boy watched you sleep? Even when you had dreams that no one should see, and you talked in your sleep?” He then gives her a look as if reminding her that she had told him that she had not thrown a fit on that at the time.

In pure disbelief that he would use that as an argument, especially when she remembers telling him how she hated it later on, Bella turns and glares at him. “There is a difference!”

“How? I can tell you one watched you grow up, with all the mistakes we all make and he loves you. He has been beside you even if you never saw him; I bet he wishes nothing more than to have been able to be there in person. The other one you excused when all he wanted was your blood. Imhotep wants your love. You can’t ever deny he won’t know of all of you. But you forgave sparkle boy. Why can’t you forgive the man who loves you with everything he is? I can’t see how it is different that you would be this angry.”

Wishing there was another woman around to help her explain, Bella huffs. “He saw me naked, which Edward never saw. He saw me doing… stuff to… relieve myself and he saw me sick. There is so much he saw, and… dammit, how would you like it if Evie saw you since you were a baby and never missed a moment?” She is deep red by the end of her tirade. Everything you never wish to have someone see, Imhotep saw it all.

Rick flinches as he thinks of his younger days, then decides to reveal to her honestly what he thinks. “While there are some times she would have some words with me, I wouldn’t mind. Bella, the man loves you. He had only one woman before you, and she failed him in every way a man in love could be betrayed. He only wants you, and he probably was there because he couldn’t bear to be away from you. I couldn’t with Evie, even with knowing about her being so independent. Sometimes, you need to look outside the box and see what it means.”

Being stubborn, Bella shakes her head. “All that means a lot to me, and did until I realized he saw _everything_. While he showed me all of him, all of what he did, and there is much I’d rather not see, still he _chose_ to show it to me. I had no choice. If I had, I would have probably done it, but it is the fact that my choice was taken from me that hurts.”

Thinking through what she just revealed, Rick crouches before her. “And he didn’t have to show you everything. But he wanted you to see as much about him that he saw about you. Can’t you imagine how bad it would be to see the one you love, and never be able to touch her after waiting so long for her? I was told he is over 3,000 years old. He has been as abused as you have been in love, but the difference is that he had to watch it happen to you. I don’t know about you, but it is one thing to see something in the past, but to see it happening to the one you love as it happens and do nothing? Pure hell.”

She looks up at him through her eyelashes. “But-”

He shakes his head, “But nothing. That man loves you. He is waiting for you. I bet you left him wondering what the hell is going on; wondering why you are so mad.”

She nods sheepishly, as what he is saying is slowly sinking in. “He is showing up as a shadow now.”

Huffing, Rick imparts to her what he thinks, “I bet he is lost. You need to get yourself together. He loves you. He adores you. He has seen your past and still wants you, craves your attention, and you threw it back in his face. In return, he does something so you can see him in this realm, and you still are throwing a fit. Why are we doing this? If you are going to throw fits, then I just don’t think you deserve him. He had enough with one woman throwing his love away.”

And with that Rick leaves her. Bella watches him leave. She looks over at Hermes and lifts an eyebrow. “I take it you agree with him?”

Hermes gives a little woof, and leaves her alone also.

Bella shakes her head, then stares out the window, all while keeping her eyes away from the shadow of the man who is staring at her in pain, and thinking over everything Rick just told her.

* * *

Final count: 4,415 Words

**Fairfarren~**

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Desert-Gif.gif)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not mine. The story idea is... I am published two chapters ahead on www.kittyinaz.com and the new chapter will be published on Saturdays.


	6. Innocence is Gone

**Pre Edit Count – 1,761 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Bleeding Out_ by Imagine Dragons

* * *

_Previously:_

_And with that Rick leaves her, and Bella watches him leave. She looks over at Hermes and lifts an eyebrow. “I take it you agree with him?”_

_Hermes gives a little woof, and leaves her alone also._

_Bella shakes her head, then stares out the window, all while keeping her eyes away from the shadow of the man who is staring at her in pain, thinking over everything Rick just told her._

_Now:_

* * *

A couple of hours later, in the cold light of a new dawn, Bella is watching the crew on the ground as they work to get the plane ready for the next leg of the trip Her arms are crossed over her chest as she tries to keep warm in the cold air of the morning. She can see the flicker of Imhotep out of the corner of her eye.

Though the time had not been long, Bella has had plenty of it to think over her reactions. The actions of the two males in her life certainly telling her with their silence how much they disapprove of her reactions. She sighs, closing her eyes as she gathers her shredded dignity around her. Her voice is soft as she tells the shadow that she can tell is still upset, “I know you don’t understand. But there is a part of me that feels violated by you. You saw things that I would never show anyone on purpose. I am shy, a virgin, and have been abused by the notion of love. I thought you were a dream, and never suspected you were real. Who would in this time and age?” She fights to find the words to explain.

Finally, she turns her head slightly to look at the container by her, and looks directly at his reflection as she tells him, “I will see you when I sleep. I am not sure I can really keep you away from me.” And hopefully she can find the words to explain more thoroughly what had hurt her.

She watches him gaze at her, then nod his head slightly.

Down by the stairs checking the roster and other documents he had been handed, Rick nods his head. He heard each and every word that she had said since Bella did not know how sensitive his hearing really is. He looks down to the wolf at his side. “Finally.”

Hermes rolls his tongue out in a canine grin.

Rick snorts at the wolf. “Yeah, you may have known, but this is all happening fast isn’t it?” He spends a moment thinking of how this is happening to the woman he sees as being closer to him than any but Evie. He is not sure what she is to him, but he can feel for her. She has not had a lifetime to spend in peace before being dragged into action again.

With this in mind he sighs while watching the men searching his plane as they try to find something to increase the bribe he has already given them. When he sees the looks of disappointment on their faces, he nods and tells Bella, “Time to board.” He enjoys when he can make them suffer for being greedy.

Bella frowns, not seeing whatever he did to tell them to move back on the plane. They had disembarked for an impromptu search of the plane; Rick telling her to “just go with it”.

She follows the two. After they board the plane, Rick sits in front of her with his elbows on his knees. “Ok, so now you are over your fit, did he tell you any information?”

He knew very well that Imhotep probably was the best source for information. He may be sticking close to Bella, but the man commands all of the realm of the dead. He will be a fountain of information since Rick is sure that he would have everyone watching any and all threats to his beloved. Think of how much he knew when he was in this world. He had found everything he looked for, and it was only the love that Rick had for Evie that had him successful against the man.

So he is sure that Imhotep passed any information he has to her as soon as possible. Anything to help him protect the woman that Imhotep loves, and that will allow his own Evie to be with him will be shared. Both men treasure their loved ones.

Giving him a slightly guilty look, Bella finally looks directly at him for the first time since he left her to think over her actions. “I am supposed to read a page a night from the book. Apparently I am the Mistress of the Book of the Dead. He also said I would be safer at night, and once we touch down in Egypt. The land will recognize me and keep me safe.” She watches him to see if any of it makes more sense to him.

Rick sits back, and he thinks on this. The plane has taken off and given them that margin of safety.

Egypt’s terrain is deadly, as he well knows. Imhotep had taught him only to respect it more.   So if the land will work to protect them, it will be a powerful ally. But Bella being the Mistress of the Book of the Dead makes him wonder. That thing scares him with the power it can give to another. So he asks to see if he can get more information. “What is supposed to happen with the book?”

Bella thinks back to what Imhotep told her. “I acquire the information contained on the page, and anything related to it. It is also changing me somehow, and that is why I blacked out last time. Too many changes in me at once. I am supposed to be the equal of him.” She shrugs, not being able to explain it any better.

He blinks. While it was only a few short sentences, but with the information that he already knows tells him more than she ever could imagine. So he asks the first clarifying question he can think of. “Do you read the hieroglyphics? I know even Evie had problems doing that.”

She chuckles. “It’s like…” She thinks for a second and then shakes her head. “I don’t know how to explain it; the page lifts out of the book and glows to me. Then in a flash it is gone, and the information is in my head. Everything in reference to it, everything that is needed to fully understand it becomes part of me, like…breathing. It becomes basically a part of me.” Unable to make it any clearer, she shrugs.

He frowns. “And when it does this, it changes you slightly each time?”

She nods and watches him. He turns his head, and cocking it to the side as he sees something he had not expected to see until they had gotten to the City of the Dead. “You do know he is here, right?”

Closing her eyes, Bella answers him. “Yeah. I don’t know why I can see him now, but I didn’t think you could or anyone else. The time he was in the glass in the museum was the first time I saw him, and until I came back he had not been visible to anyone else.”

Rick looks directly at him and raises an eyebrow. He finally tells Imhotep directly, “You know, it is not going to help if someone can see you. I will protect her and we are about a half hour from Egypt. Once we land, I will need to get her out the city and on the road to Hamunaptra. I am not sure anything but a camel will survive out there.” He figures he will tell the man what is going on. Maybe he can arrange things to be easier for him. God only knows he had made it miserable for him before, and since Rick is on his side this time, he is interested in what could happen.

The reflection frowns and then nods to Rick. It turns to the side and Rick watches as it looks like Imhotep is talking to someone. Imhotep then looks back with a look Rick knows. Everything will be ready for them.

Bella watches the two men. When they are done doing that communication thing all males do, Imhotep looks back to her, a look of longing on his face. She stares at him, and gives in completely, telling him, “If we are a half hour out of Egypt, there is not enough time to sleep. I will sleep when we get to somewhere safe, and we can talk then.” She will talk, and hopefully they will settle this. Too much is at stake.

The figure just stares at her with his dark eyes, and Bella realizes that he is not going to go anywhere. She looks up at Rick who is watching the two of them.

He tells her, “Don’t waste time. Take it from someone who has loved deeply, there is never enough time. Even now, if she was alive and by my side, I would not take a moment for granted.”

She takes a deep breath and then nods. Rick nods, and leans back to watch the scenery pass below them, knowing he is returning to a place he had hoped at one time to never visit again.

They land in Egypt at yet another airstrip that had passed from Jonathan to Rick when he passed away. He chuckles as he walks off the plane at his brother-in-law. He misses him. He misses his comments, his complaining and whining. And how the man seemed to find mummies everywhere he went.

* * *

He moves down the stairs, Hermes coming down with him. Not thinking about it nor the fact that something is supposed to happen when Bella is here, he looks around trying to see what has changed since he was last here with Evie.

The ground below him shakes, and he turns around quickly, his hand on his gun to see Bella touching the ground with her foot. She freezes, staring at him in shock. She had not expected him to move so fast, nor with such deadly intent.

He raises an eyebrow and wryly reminds her. “Your boyfriend told you it would happen. Just get it over with.” He has no idea of why she looked so surprised.

Pushing it away from her mind, Bella nods and takes the final step.

As soon as both of her feet hit the ground, he feels an even more powerful pulse travel through the ground and the effect of it travels through the air. As it travels farther away, he can see the dust picking up, and expects by the time it ends, there will be a lot of confused humans.

Bella stares in shock, and she just shakes her head. It is becoming to where she is getting to expect these odd things. The land welcoming her had meant to her a feeling of being home. Not that the land itself was physically reacting to her presence.

Reading her confusion easily, Rick chuckles. “Honey, this ain’t nothing. Your man made a dust storm out of a handful of sand that had his face in it and for lack of a better way of explaining it, he ate the plane I was on. The power you have right now is nothing to sneeze at.” He waves his hand at the expanding circle of dust. “He told us that Egypt would welcome you, and it is doing exactly that.” He will never admit that he had been surprised at the reaction her feet touching the ground had made. Nope.

Watching as it spreads out from their location, Bella shakes her head. “I just can’t believe it!” She is also worried about the people and if any damage is happening.

He chuckles, watching as the wolf sits by her side his head cocked to the side as he watches the pulse travel. Rick then turns as he hears the sound of rock moving. He prepares himself for anything.

 

Behind them, a chariot stops with the stone rams stamping in place. Along with them are stone jackals. Rick just blinks, then repeats as he recognizes the rams as a group of statues that had been by the river Nile the last time he was here if he is correct.  He repeats to himself, ‘Not going to admit to anything being surprising. Nope. This is all normal.’ And dismisses the thought that for him, it really is.

The chariot is not one he recognizes, but he doesn’t give it too much thought. He walks over to the carriage, and nods seeing that there are some supplies in it. He turns around, bows to her as he informs her in a polite tone he had heard from his butlers in the past. “My dear, your chariot awaits.”

She is just standing there staring at the rams that are moving as though they are alive. Bella lifts her eyes to Rick. “How?”

He chuckles, understanding her comment and need for information completely. “I told him we needed transportation. He arranged it. I suspect the second you put your second foot on the ground, the world changed. You are bringing magic back to life, and let me tell you, it is needed. Why does this shock you? You, who have met people who are nothing more than moving statues that sparkle. Now, get your butt in gear and let us get out of the city and on our way. I don’t want to take a chance of any those sparkling assholes getting you here, since I would not be surprised if the seven plagues were to take place again.”

She had been moving, but as she steps up in the chariot, she pauses as the words he said register. “The seven plagues?” Then in a higher pitch. “ ** _Again?!?!_** ”

Rick rolls his eyes as he grabs her arm. In one move has them in the chariot. He whistles for Hermes, who jumps in beside them, being the Egyptian wolf that would be more common out here. The chariot starts moving. Rick soon is standing behind Bella, and he yells in her ear, “Grab the front of the chariot, I will make sure you don’t fall out, but this will be a wild ride.”

The look she throws behind her at him has him laughing as the chariot is running down the road at a high speed. He has missed this, and he acknowledges that the world sorely needs magic back in it to make lives better.

He watches with a laugh on his face as they quickly make their way out of the city. He notes the disturbance from Bella’s entry in Egypt is all around them; dust in the air, and he blinks as he notices above them stone birds.

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/depositphotos_3005457-Ancient-stone-statue.jpg)

Tapping her shoulder, he points up in the air, and Bella looks. Her face shows her awe at the birds obviously covering them from above.

He chuckles as he leans close. “You see a man who is dead, you are being pulled through Cairo in a chariot being pulled by stone rams, and yet, you are most amazed by birds in the air?”

She swallows. “They are STONE!! Stone!! Flying in the air!?!?!?! How?”

He grins. “Magic, Bella. You are bringing back wonder to this tired earth.” He chuckles, his eyes bright as they fly down the boulevard, taking them through the city that he can hear the alarms going off from cars and people yelling. The pulse has done no damage, but he wouldn’t be surprised that there are other things happening around the city, events that are announcing to the people who know that the Mistress of the Book of the Dead, the Queen of the Dead is home.

Time to get serious.

* * *

Final count: 2,687

****Fairfarren~** **

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Desert-Gif.gif)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 9, the next to last chapter, will be published on www.kittyinaz.com on Saturday.


	7. Looking for My Own Oasis

**Pre Edit Count – 2,513 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Love Alone is Worth the Fight_ by Switchfoot

* * *

_Previously:_

_He grins. “Magic, Bella. You are bringing back wonder to this tired earth.” He chuckles, his eyes bright as they fly down the boulevard, taking them through the city that he can hear the alarms going off from cars and people yelling. The pulse has done no damage, but he wouldn’t be surprised that there are other things happening around the city, events that are announcing to the people who know that the Mistress of the Book of the Dead, the Queen of the Dead is home._

_Time to get serious._

_Now:_

* * *

They are heading out to the desert, with the sun glaring down on them as the morning mists burn off quickly. Bella soon finds another reason for the birds. Some of the larger ones coast closer to give the inhabitants of the chariot much needed shade. Rick had chuckled and called her not only the Queen, but a Princess. And he enjoys the trip out, working with the land for once.

For her, it is unreal. Magic was something that she had been taught to believe is not real. It is not something that she ever thought her life had. But Rick keeps pointing out that it seems her life has led to this time.

She had experiences with the supernatural; she easily accepted the unbelievable and dealt with it in a manner unusual to the rest of mankind. It didn’t matter what she had going on in her life, there really has been no period of time without it. Hermes is the example she can think of for the period of time that she had thought was clear. And Imhotep’s visits in her dreams.

Then you have to look at the experiences of love for her. It doesn’t seem to happen unless there is a fantastic element involved. When there is none, she was not interested. And now? Now she is on her way to a lost city, which to this day has not been found since the tales were told of it before Rick and company had found it once, and then lost until they went back. A city that had been destroyed by one of the few people to ever find it, who is taking her back to it.

She closes her eyes for awhile, trusting in Rick and Hermes to keep her on the chariot. She opens them up again as she feels them slowing. She looks around, and for one second, there is nothing around them; in the next, there is an oasis. She glances at the sun high overhead, trying to figure out why they are stopping.

Ricks chuckles at her amazement and decides to educate her. “There really was something to all those souls who said they stumbled on an oasis with no warning. I suspect these are probably the last pockets of magic left until now.” He jumps off the chariot, then reaches back to help her off the chariot.

Bella is shaky and asks, “Why did we stop?”

He has moved and kneels by the water, rinsing his face off before looking back at her. “I don’t know about you, but I am pleased with this. Traveling the desert is not normally as easy as it has been so far, and it is far better that you are getting to stop often. They are trying to make your journey easy, but still, the desert can kill you even with all this help. Now, come here and drink. I will see if what I think is right.” With that, he watches her kneel by the clear, sweet water, and then looks at Hermes. The dog walks next to her, and when she drinks, he looks around.

Rick nods and heads out, scouting the terrain. Sure enough, he finds a stone building on the other side, and inside, some supplies. He wouldn’t be surprised if scorpions and snakes had made this happen. Nothing would really surprise him. He had battled the King of the Underworld; not once, but twice. Then battled a sorcerer mummy in another part of the world.

Looking around, he nods. This will do until tonight. It is stone, so will hide their heat sources. They have been safe during the day, since there would be no hiding sparkly mother fuckers in the middle of a desert. But once night falls, the heat from the sun will leach away, leaving the desert much colder. They will need to leave, since unfortunately, he thinks that will be the time they will come after them. If they move during the night, with the slight head start they have now, it may be enough.

Walking back outside, he glances up and notices the birds are not above. No, as he looks to find what has happened to them, he notices that the smaller ones are in the palms, and the larger ones have landed, looking for all intents and purposes like statues. If he didn’t know any better, he would think they are just that.

He chuckles as he heads back to the woman he is taking back to the last place he ever thought he would go, much less willingly and happily.

Bella is watching everything, then reaches for the scarab on her necklace, wanting the book. When it appears, she stares at it, trying to decide if now would be a good time for her page of the day.

Before she can make a decision, Rick is by her side. He stares at the book floating in front of her and asks, “I thought it was supposed to be at night.”

She nods. “I am guessing that we are resting here for the rest of the day.” When he nods she thinks out loud to him, “Then I would rather do this now, then wait for night when they may come upon us. There is no way to be able to pass the desert without a satellite catching them. So we are safe during the day, and who knows if our scent will linger long enough. So the chances of me being awake when they come are greater if I read and sleep now.”

Rick slowly nods his head. “You obviously have thought about this. So what is going to happen?”

She shrugs, the book bobbing in front of her, and frankly informs him, “No idea. I pass out. No one else is around. So you tell me.”

He chuckles. “You want to do it here, or where we are resting?”

She thinks then sighs, “Can you get me there if I do this here?”

When he nods, she tells him, “The sand would be softer.” With that she sits down, and he is in front of her, watching as the book opens, and glows…

Rick and Bell watch with raised eyebrows as a sheet from the book, which looks like solid gold, floats out of the book’s spine. Then the page bursts into a golden dust which flows into Bella through her mouth, eyes, nose, and ears. It lights up her body, and after the initial afterglow from the burst fades, he realizes it is her veins that are lit up. She glows and raises in the air as the last of the dust trails up her face. Rick watches in amazement.

Her hair is now glowing, and he can see golden streaks appearing, nothing major, more like her hair is highlighted, but he will not be surprised if they are more than highlights. The tone of them in the sun as the glow recedes down her body speaks of the otherworldly, and he notices her skin is a golden color too.

The power coming from her settles her gently in the sand and he watches until the last of the glow is gone. He shakes his head, and picks her up from the ground. He tells Hermes, “Well, that was nothing like what I imagined would happen. C’mon. Let’s get her to shelter. We can see what else is around.”

Rick carefully walks to the shelter, then puts her on the slab that is supposed to be a bed from the amount of padding on it. He smiles at the thought that Imhotep put in to make sure his love will be comfortable.

With that smile, he heads outside, laughing to himself as a couple of the stone birds make their way to the shelter as well as a couple of the jackals that had appeared after they left the city.

* * *

Bella wakes slowly and can feel the soft linens around her body, as well as a light cloth covering her. She opens her eyes slowly, smiling when she sees the billowy linen above her. She sits up, and takes in the room in a glance.

What surprises her is Imhotep sitting in a chair beside the bed, his elbows on the arms of the chair, his hands folded together as he watches her over them.

She lifts an eyebrow in silent question.

He sighs. “I have no clue what you are upset with me about. I petitioned to allow you to see me, and it was granted in the way we have now. Is this better?” He wants only to make her happy with him.

Closing her eyes as her legs draw up before her, she rests her head on her knees as her arms go around her legs. She sits there as she tries to get her thoughts all together.

Imhotep sits there, his dark eyes watching her, trying to think his way through this yet again. He cannot understand why she is so upset. But he is trying. He does not like his love being mad at him. He has spent too much time watching to allow something to separate them now when he can finally hold her for the brief time he has each time she sleeps.

Taking a deep breath, Bella looks up at him. He watches her. Seeing the tears trailing down her cheeks rips something inside of him, but he waits for her. He will always worship this woman and let her lead.

Bella tells him softly, “You saw things that no other has, without my permission. With no way for me to know another watches me. You saw me when I fumbled through my first kiss, through me being rejected, through my times of learning stuff about me that I would want no others to know about. You took something that I had thought was private and basically told me that another saw what I never would have allowed at that time to see. Me choosing to share with you in the future those moments as you shared with me is one thing; it would have been my choice. But you took all that away. You ripped it from me.”

He frowns as he thinks then asks, “So you are upset that I watched you, loved you for so long, that I desired just the ability to watch over you when I had nothing else? That I cried with you, kissed your accidents, raged beside you when another was callous and hurt you?”

She nods. “Because you did it without me knowing to choose to show you that. Knowing myself, I may have showed you all of that in my own time. But it would have been my choice. It is me knowing that for one thing, Edward ripped away my choices, never cared for them then you did the same that hurts. Am I not able to judge things for myself? Or will you always overrule me and not care what I think?” She finally is able to put to words some of the things that have been haunting her since his revelation. Things she hadn’t known until they are here talking about it.

With a cry, he is before her in seconds, kneeling on the floor before his beloved, and her face in his hands as he looks up at her in an expression of pain. “NO! You are my Queen. It is I who will serve you! All I ask is for the chance to love you. I never thought it was more than watching over the one I loved. I treasured each and every second with you, being able to watch you grow and wonder who this woman was that made me fall in love with her in a glance.”

She stares at him, and her tears fall down her face. “What am I to think? Really? I… don’t know what to think anymore!”

He stares up at her, then giving in to his instincts, he pulls her close to him, taking her small body in his arms as he holds her close. “My love, I never wanted to make you think you are less. I have done so much to make everything be better, that I never thought this would be a problem. I am sorry. In my day, it would be nothing to watch your woman grow up since we never married young. I thought I was being given a blessing, not a curse to suffer under at this time.”

Holding him close, breathing in the male scent of him, she lets herself cry. Never once thinking how she would never let another see this, but she has no problem letting him see it.

Imhotep closes his eyes in pain as he hears his beloved cry her heart out, and feels the stabs of pain inside of him. Welcoming them in fact as penance for causing her this grief. He tells her softly, “While I would not like to give up the memories, I would do it if you wish it my love. Anything to make you feel better. I am sorry.”

She slowly pulls herself together, noticing how he holds her close to him, sheltering her with his own body, as he tries to sooth her fears away. Then she looks up and finds him looking down at her, the pain in his eyes telling her more than she ever dreamed.

He tells her, “I am sorry my beloved. I never thought it was anything more than rejoicing that you were here. If you wish, I will ask our Master if he will remove the memories. But I am not sure if he can, but for you, I will ask.”

Bella’s face softens and she tells him, “No. It’s done with, and I need to get over it. I am sorry. I didn’t know that to you there were no problems.”

He chuckles. “Is this what they would call a compromise, my love?” He preens just a little bit, glad to show her that he has learned something.

Smiling at him, Bella puts her hand on his face. “I believe so. But… Can you please not watch when I am going to the bathroom?”

He looks at her shocked, “I never did in the first place! That is a private time for anyone. We are not married or even together for me to make that assumption.”

Her breath hitches and she asks, “So you didn’t watch _all_ the time?”

He shakes his head. “No. The Master had another to do that. A beast I suppose you would call it. He never trusted your safety to any but me and the beast. Now to Hermes but even with him, you have eyes on you at all time. I watched you other times, but I wanted to feast my eyes on you when you give yourself to me.”

She blushes. “I th-thought you loo-ooked th-then too.”

He stares at her, and then he can’t help it. He laughs, a deep rich sound that the sound of it rolls through her. “Oh, my beloved, we need to communicate I think the word is called?”

She nods, looking down as she is completely embarrassed. He lifts her chin up and softly kisses her. He asks, “Did you ever see of those periods of time when I showed you my life?”

She shook her head no after thinking on it. “Then why did you think I saw that. Now, I did see your reactions to the dead one. That I did not like, and I raged, my love. But no. Your private moments are those times. I would not presume, my love. No wonder you were upset.”

Bella nods again, and he kisses her gently, never letting her eyes fall to the ground. “I am glad I didn’t leave you alone my love. Now, let’s talk and be as we were before. Shall we?”

When she nods. He rises up and puts her on the bed, wrapping his body around hers. “Tell me of your day my love.” And they talk… gaining back what they once had, and learning a new lesson.

* * *

Final count: 2,819

**Fairfarren~**

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Desert-Gif.gif)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter of this part of the story will be posted on Saturday 2/14/15 on www.kittyinaz.com.


	8. Made the World Stand Still

**Pre Edit Count – 2,021 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: We Owned the Night_ by Lady Antebellum

* * *

_Previously:_

_Bella nods again, and he kisses her gently, never letting her eyes fall to the ground. “I am glad I didn’t leave you alone my love. Now, let’s talk and be as we were before. Shall we?”_

_When she nods. He rises up and puts her on the bed, wrapping his body around hers. “Tell me of your day my love.” And they talk… gaining back what they once had, and learning a new lesson._

_Now:_

* * *

The two of them are wrapped around each other, Imhotep holding his love, and thrilled that now they are back on track. He had hurt, more than any other time in the past, when she had pushed him away. Though, he understood more after their talk. It made it all more understandable why she was so mad. He knew she was a private person, so he expected some anger, but nothing like what had come forth.

Now, he holds her close, and listens to her. In the back of his head he is seeing everything his minions are relaying to him about threats to his beloved or ways to see to her comfort for the trip to Hamunaptra. Nothing will be too much for his love. And it will only be better when he gets to stand next to her in the flesh instead of now.

He is also tracking the Cold Ones. They are starting their move. All but the Egyptian coven, and he is not sure why they are refusing to help in this.   But he is keeping an eye on them, and soon will find out why they are not involved.

No matter what, he is not happy with the group who are about to land in Egypt. They are planning to leave the plane and city as soon as the light is diffuse enough to not give them away. He is waiting for them to step on their land, and to see what the land itself will do.

Imhotep was as surprised as the rest on the effect of Bella stepping foot on the land. The shockwave from it had more effect than anyone knew. The Sphinx is waking and the other creatures are also waking from their long sleep. Magic is in the very air and all because his love has come to her new home.

He is also watching all the ones that hurt his love before, and he snarls at them going on like there is nothing they have ever done wrong. He will rain down hell upon them when he rises. They are a lot of the reason that his Bella is so hesitant to trust her heart, why she is being hunted, and why they found her so fast. Especially the red-haired one who has threatened the peace of his beloved more than once.

He looks down at his little one and sighs as he relays to her, “You will need to go back soon my love. Tonight the magic strengthened your veins, and you will need it for the next upgrades. Plus I am seeing that the Cold Ones are about to start their trek. I rather you be awake when it starts, since I have no idea what will happen.”

Not wanting this time to end, Bella burrows into him, repeating to him, “I’m sorry. I wasted time that we could have been together.”

He smiles and kisses her on top of her head. “It happens. But this is part of the process of us being closer.”

Then he thinks, and hesitantly informs her of his thoughts. “I am…worried. If my calculations are right, you have one, maybe two more nights before you reach Hamunaptra. This is not enough time for you to learn all you need to from the book. But, to delay will be more threatening to you. I am afraid, just as it was back in all those years past, it is another race to the City of the Dead.”

Bella looks up at him, fear in her brown eyes. “So what are we to do?”

He is thinking, trying to find the answer in all the futures that he can think of, and he finally relays to her, “You get to the City of the Dead first. Once there, O’Connell can lead you to the place I will rise from. I am not sure how this will happen, it is just that you and the book need to be there and I will return.”

She is quiet, thinking herself. “How many pages do you think are in the book?”

He turns and looks down at her. He rebukes her sternly, “You are not going to try to stuff all the pages in you! That will kill you, my love!! The point is that we reunite in the world of the living and rule from there. We are in no way, shape, or form supposed to be here. Not after you get me back there. I want to spend the time we were promised together. And we won’t if you dare push yourself. The Gods know what they are doing. They knew the time period that would happen. You will find the world a different place very soon.” He wants to shake her, to shake the very thought out of her. Her life will be hard, but not enough to kill herself! He has no future without her there. And frankly, he wants none.

She sighs. “I hate being the one that is holding everyone back.”

He chuckles, “Soon you will be one of the most powerful people on the face of the earth and beyond. I think my love that you can wait just a little longer.” He kisses her as he holds her close. Knowing she has to leave and wanting to let her go are two different things.

Bella relaxes in his hold and she says to him, “I cannot wait for this to be real.”

When she starts to try to correct what she meant, Imhotep laughs. “I know, my love. I too cannot wait to hold you in the flesh, instead of your spiritual soul.” Then he grins at her, “I too have waited much time to hold you in the flesh, and I promise you, my love, we will not be idle…” His time had no issues with sex, and he has none still. He will be eager to join with her in every way.

She laughs, as he burrows his head in her neck and the vibrations of his voice tickle her. The two of them continue to goof off, and after awhile, they are on the bed, tangled up with each other. Their very souls seem better for the time they have spent playing.

He lays against the pillows, his love stretched out horizontally on the bed, her head rests on his chest. He runs his hands through her hair, watching it fall from his fingers like fine silk. The movement is hypnotic to both of them. He finally sighs, “I love you, Bella.”

She looks up at him and smiles, “I love you too. I am sorr-“

He stops her. “No. We will not do this. We will fight. We will argue. We will hurt each other never meaning to. But as long as we remember to love each other, it will all work out in the end. If we can remember that love, these moments, we can deal with all the negative.”

Bella looks up at him as he stares down at her. “My love. We can accomplish much. I have seen for myself the power of love. The man you travel with is one of the few I would trust with you normally. But right now, I trust him more than any other. He will succeed, because the alternative is not to have his love back with him. And they are truly one of those couples that their tale will transcend time itself. I hope ours will be the same way.”

They stare at each other, then Imhotep sighs. “Come on love. It is time to go back to the land of the living. You will need to leave as soon as possible.”

He chuckles at her look, but he pulls her up and kisses her deeply, his tongue stroking her own in the movement mimicking the time old dance that he wishes to do with her body. He shows her his love and devotion in the only way he can physically at this time. When he lets her up to gasp for the air that she needs from the strength of the kiss, he kisses her forehead. “Go, my love. And I will be waiting for you.”

With that she nods. Bella disappears from his arms. He sends his soul with her. It belongs to her anyways.

* * *

Rick is sitting there packing up his weapons. He had fondly smiled earlier when he remembered the first time with Evie on the ship and him spilling his guns out in front of her.   But hearing the stone creatures start moving around, he suspects that Bella is on her way back. He pulls himself out of the memories, knowing that soon he may have her back in his arms.

Sure enough he hears the gasp of air, but notices it is not as bad as it has been in the past. He suspects the book is doing as she claims, changing her. As the Mistress of the Book of the Dead, and the Queen of the Dead, it isn’t good for her to come back the way she has been.

He notices that there are scurrying sounds around him, and he makes it a point to himself not to look to see what it is. He has no doubt that Imhotep has multitudes of defenses for his love. It is what Rick would do himself. So he just makes sure they are ready to head out as soon as she is ready.

When he sees her sit up, he informs her, “I suspected that Imhotep wants us to move, even though it is night. The statues are moving, and all the other critters around are doing stuff.”

Bella chuckles as she stretches. “Imhotep said the vampires landed. Seems the sun bothers them too much. There is just no way to hide the sparkles. So they are headed out, and he says it will be a race to Hamunaptra. He said we have some gain on them, since you know where we are going, and they are following us. But while we need to reach there, they just have to stop us.”

Thinking of the speed of the statues yesterday, Rick tells her, “He is right. We need to keep heading out. I expect us to reach there tomorrow night. What is it we will be doing when we get there?”

She shrugs. “Neither of us knows. Just that I and the book need to be in some chamber that you know where it is. Without both of us, neither will work. He seems to believe that the city is safe.”

Rick chuckles. “That city is a death trap. The city itself hunts you, so I can see it being safer for us there. Though the scarabs won’t be able to strip the flesh of the vampires.” He is gathering up the last of his weapons and supplies for them. He reaches out to escort her to the chariot that is ready, Hermes by their side.

Once they board the chariot, it seems like the oasis explodes in activity, and they are gone in a flurry of dust from the jackals. When Bella and Rick look back, they see the dust cloud. “Why did they do that?”

Rick is watching them, then laughs as he sees the birds diving in the water. “Hiding our scent. I bet if we look, there won’t be any marks either. It will be harder to follow us.”

Laughing Bella tells him, “It’s good to be on the side of the Mummy.”

Rick chokes, “Or the Bride of the Mummy.”

Laughing harder, Bella looks out where they are headed. “Those scarabs. They are the ones who ate the skin off the mummies?”

He nods looking back at her.

“I bet they are more than beetles. Scarabs wouldn’t be able to survive that long in the city of the dead. So don’t be surprised if they can take down a vampire. I suspect that the whole damn city is like a trap for them. They are dead.”

Rick snorts as he keeps an eye out around them. “Pretty true, Princess.” He is nervous. He is not too sure of the information of these vampires.

She looks up at him. “That would be Mrs. Princess to you sir.”

He laughs, enjoying having the fun Bella back. As they speed off in the night, stone birds in the sky, stone Egyptian rams pulling them, their stone wolfish counterparts running alongside guarding, as a live one guards their mistress.   It’s a great time to be alive.

* * *

**Final count: 2,192**

**Fairfarren~**

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Desert-Gif.gif)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story is complete on my site.


	9. Cracked the Code

**Pre Edit Count – 1,810 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Royals_ by Lorde

* * *

_Previously:_

_He laughs, enjoying having the fun Bella back. As they speed off in the night, stone birds in the sky, stone Egyptian wolves pulling them as a live one guards their mistress.   It’s a great time to be alive._

_Now:_

* * *

They had run through the night and into the following day. The rams and wolves didn’t stop, and they both took that to mean they had information that had changed from the previous night. To make sure she is not worried, Rick entertains her with the stories on the race he had been part of against a group of Americans. Camels versus horses and the shock they had when the camels had won.

Tales of Jonathan made her laugh so hard he had to hold her in the chariot. “Was he really that way?”

Rick nods, grinning. “He was loyal to his sister and then to me. But he wanted to be rich. The thing is, he was, in every way. And he knew it. His ideas were golden; everything he touched succeeded. He just had the bad luck to be so deep in the supernatural world that it never left him alone. He hated mummies.” His grin gets bigger as he tells her how Jonathan kept moving around to avoid them, and how they somehow found him each and every time.

Bella is still laughing, then stills, a sense she had not known of pulses through her. She looks behind them at its prompting, and she shakes her head. “They aren’t caring anymore.” The words are said in a state of shock.

Rick stares at her then turns to see what she is talking about. His mouth drops open. In the far distance is a look of diamonds on the horizon. “What do they think will happen if they stop us? That nothing would see them?” He can’t believe they are basically outing themselves to the world just to stop them. Humans will do anything to kill them. For God’s sake, they kill humans to survive! They make no excuses for it!

She shakes her head. “I don’t think they care. Something in what we are doing is making them panic. I am not sure what it is.” She looks at him with worry apparent in her eyes.

At least they know why they didn’t stop. However, that didn’t allow them a day for Bella to absorb a page from the book. It is too risky for them now.

Rick looks around as he informs her, “Even if they are moving at the speed of light, they won’t catch us in time. But it will be close. I highly suggest that you get ready. That city won’t hurt you, and I am hoping it will not do anything to me, but the way to the chamber that I knew was destroyed.”

She turns, watches them, and frowns. She asks, “What did Imhotep do to you to make you stop?” She needs to try something, anything to slow them down, to give them more time.

Realizing what she is getting at, Rick chuckles. He kneels on the edge of the chariot and grabs a handful of sand. He stands up and hands her the sand with a smirk. He informs her, “Blow this at them.”

She raises an eyebrow but takes the sand in her cup-shaped hands. When it hits her hands, it starts sparkling as though made out of gold, making her laugh in delight.

Rick shakes his head. “It sure didn’t do that.” He cannot help the grin as he tells her, “Jonathan would declare you the love of his life.”

She looks up at him with a delighted look on her face. He realizes at that moment, he is as much a goner for this female as he was for the only other one to affect him like this. He thinks of her as a sister, and the look on her face just made it a solid fact. This is his sister. The one he wanted all his life. And that fit. He had felt Imhotep was his brother, never imagining when it is all done, he will be that to her too.

He waves his hand back towards their problem and mentions, “Princess, are you going to look at the sparkly dirt, or are you going to do something?” He pushes back the find, telling himself he will think on it later. He has a mission to deal with.

She laughs and when she blows on the sand, it reacts as though it is really gold dust, and swirls around them. Rick watches it, noticing it keeps far enough that they don’t breathe it in, but he soon understands what it is doing as the gold touches more sand and transforms it.

The land is preparing to defend its future Queen. Where it did what the King wanted, he has lived in this land and knew how to use it to defend himself, or attack. It trusted him.

It’s Queen? She is to be treasured, worshipped and so forth. Protected. So any attack on her behalf will always have a defensive side. And unlike with Imhotep, the land knows she has no idea of how to use it. So it helps.

The dust is spreading and makes it harder for the Cold Ones to follow them. The dust is finer than the sand. The land itself is reacting as they pass over it, and it looks as if a wave is passing over the edges farther out than the gold, the sand turning softer, harder to move through. Even for immortals, it will be like running through quicksand. It will slow them down. The gold dust will also make their heat signature harder to find. It also filters the air to remove their scents. It just floats on the very air, obstructing them.

And lastly, it confuses their sight, and will be a last layer of protection for the land’s Queen. And this is basically a pacifist response.

He looks forward and sees a road rise out of the sand that will help them go faster. “The land is making it easier.” He is awed at the reactions the land is giving. Imhotep had made him respect it, Bella is making him more aware of the power of the world could do if magic was back. He could see how the world was slowly dying, and now has a chance to fight back. To take back the Earth from mankind who is only killing it.

Her own thoughts are on what she needs to do for the two men she loves. Bella nods. “And how much do you want to bet that city is now as it was when you found it the first time?”

Rick runs a hand through his hair. “Damn. I am not taking that bet. In a way, you are more powerful than him.” He looks down with pride at the small woman beside him.

She looks up at him. “Me?”

He nods. “The land protects you. It obeys him, but you, it protects. It helps you, it basically is acting like it is in love with you as your Prince.” He waves his hand to show how it is reacting to her need.

She laughs, her delight showing in the very air as it ripples from the sound.

Rick watches as the land seems to delight in her and he murmurs, “It is as besotted with you as he is.”

Unable to keep her laughter inside, Bella’s laugh rings out louder as they ride on, going faster once the chariot hits the road.

* * *

All through the day, the animals run. Rick shakes his head at the way the land helps them. Birds, either stone or normal, will drop fruits, salt, and bags of water for them. Everything is the best. Rick muses to himself that this journey is much faster than the first time, and made pretty much in the lap of luxury.

But he keeps an eye on the vampires behind him. In one of the drops, he receives a spyglass and uses it to check on them. He even notices the land smoothes out a spot for him in the gold dust to see through. He doesn’t like the speed they have still, but he knows the land is doing what it can to slow them down.

He has no idea why it can’t stop them; maybe the use of force is under Imhotep? Either way, he knows that once Imhotep is back, these fuckers will be finding out why it is not good to hunt the woman he loves. Until then, it will be his job to keep her safe for him.

And he takes that seriously, thinking of the routes they can use to get to the chambers that the final showdown took place in. He has no doubt that the Gods will want another showdown there again.

He chuckles, wondering if all the gold in the room that had almost killed Jonathan will make any of the vampires stop as it had done the first times for his group.

All in all, he prepares himself for a showdown of huge power. Imhotep is watching them now, and he is not going to be pleased at his beloved being threatened. Nope. And having the Mummy pissed is not something Rick wanted to see again.

At least this time it won’t be at him.

* * *

That night, they see the city in front of them, as the dogs of Anubis run to it, the moon shining bright on the city.

Rick is shaking his head. “Nothing is ever hidden from the sands.”

Chuckling, Bella looks up at him. “Did you expect otherwise? How did you think we would do this?”

He chuckles right along with her. “Frankly, dear, I had no idea. Whatever it takes to get Evie back for me, and Imhotep for you, is fine in my book.”

He watches as they ride through the gates that open for them, and looks back to see them close behind their chariot. He smirks, knowing this is their answer to a question they had discussed on the way. Yes, the city is alive and it is firmly in the control of its Priest, soon to be King.

He jumps off the chariot when it stops. When he goes to help Bella down, he chuckles as the sand forms stairs for her. “Princess for sure. You will be spoiled soon!” But he is on full alert. He looks around seeing what the city is showing them in this incarnation of it.

He cannot help but suck in a breath wishing Evie was here. The city is looking as though it was never buried in the first place. The statues are standing upright and straight. This looks as though the builders had just stepped away for a moment instead of the thousands of years since they walked these lands as living beings.

A sound makes him turn and he sees a guard made of the black Anubis statues march out and surround them. A sound makes him look over them, and he blinks.

“I don’t think they will get in easily, Princess.” He is seeing multitudes of them forming outside the gates. He is sure that these are the honor guard.

Bella looks around and she looks worried. “They are as hard as these things, and can take more abuse. At least they are stone creatures, not more like Hermes.” She doesn’t want anything to be harmed. This appeals to her soul that loves the mystery of these statues.

Rick escorts her to the vault that opens for them, telling her as the aforementioned wolf is following them. “I think I would like an army of Hermes.” He has no doubt that the wolves can handle the dead.

They hurry down the ramps and stairs making their way through the maze to get to the chamber that holds the waters of the dead. To make the trip easier, they have a bunch of the scarabs showing them the way through the passages. Rick has to work not to squirm at the creatures he has seen eat human beings in seconds.

* * *

Above, the land gets ready to fight to give its beloved Queen the chance to raise the King. The land knows that they are its hopes to be the power it was in the past.

So it has pulled from its sands the city that brought so much pain before and made it where the Queen could get to her King. It gave her guardians, commanding the defenses to not only defend her, but to show her how to get to her King faster.

It called forth the army that the Scorpion Army defeated once, using them to protect the Queen. Anubis’s dogs came from the wilds to stand next to their masters, some of them stone, some mummies and some alive. The wolves who served the gods faithfully faded into being beside their mortal counterparts, there to help fight for the one who would give them back their places beside the rulers.

The animals and insects of the land wait for their chance. All this to battle the dead. Ones who will stop what is coming to prevent another having power over them. To gain that power for the three kings that have no right to it.

This would be catastrophic for the world. There are only two beings on the earth that can control the book. One is it it’s Mistress, and the other is the King of the Mistress. Any other being who tries to use the book, well that will lead to what happened last time, the horrors of that time. The plagues will come forth, the very earth protesting the use of something that was made to help the true rulers keep order between the humans and the supernatural.

It was not time for Imhotep to be awake earlier. His Queen was not even a thought out there, though the time was coming. However, it gained him a protector for his Queen. One that was strong enough to keep him in check in a time that he needed to be shown to wait. To give his faith back to his Gods.

With his Queen, Imhotep will be the all-powerful beast his legend claimed him to be. He just was not ready yet. The world couldn’t deal with him and the pain he felt when his thought to be love was ripped away by her own cowardice.

He needed to sleep until this time.

Now it is time to battle. Time to fight for the right to have magic in the world, to begin the end.

* * *

**Final count: 2,477**

**Fairfarren~**

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Desert-Gif.gif)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is finished over at www.kittyinaz.com


	10. Time Began to Blur

**Pre Edit Count – 2,427 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: New Divide_ by Linkin Park

* * *

_Previously:_

_Now it is time to battle. Time to fight for the right to have magic in the world, to begin the end._

_Now:_

* * *

As they make their way through the City of the Dead, Rick stops and listens, trying to catch what he thought he had heard. He then clearly hears the booms that he thought he had heard. Though he is confused on what could be making the sounds, Bella grabs his arms and pulls.

He looks at Bella and finds her eyes are wide, frightened. “They are here! We need to get to the chamber!” She knows that sound; it’s the sound of ripping metal which tells her all she needs to know.

He nods, trusting her, and he is soon going through the treasure room, smiling as he notices that she does not even pause. As with him, love is more precious than anything in this room.

When they go past, he sees the mummies rising up, and the statues themselves moving as if they are all waking up. He wonders if it is Bella who is actually waking the statues.

They run from there, soon finding themselves in the room and around the bier that rested his Evie last time he was here. There is nothing, not even a mummy.

He is gasping for air, and waves his hands at Bella. “Go! Do whatever you have to get him here. The faster you can do it, the better!” He is relieved to have made it to the place that he thought of as safe.

Bella stares at him.

His heart falls as he stares at her. “You don’t know what to do?” His voice is high.

She shakes her head. “I told you all he knew was that the book and I had to be here. We had no idea past that.” There is panic in her eyes and her arms surround her, as though holding herself from braking apart. She too had thought that once they were here, they would be safe.

He hangs his head. He can hear the booms clearer and it worries him. He tries to think of anything that may help them.

But before he can say anything, the big vampire that had knocked on his door in England appears from the way they had just passed through.

Rick rolls his eyes. “Really? Fighting in this room. So original!” He shakes his head, his earlier thoughts coming back to haunt him.

The vampire blinks at him, confused. Hermes stands before Bella, growling, and Rick stands next to the wolf. “Princess, you need to get the book out and find out quick what you need to do.”

Rick grabs a sword lying on the ground, probably a weapon left from his last fight here. He takes his place before the vampire and waits. He trusts in the powers that be. They helped him survive in the past, and he no longer doubts that they will help him this time also.

Felix can’t help but laugh. He had been part of a group of thirteen, and only he remained. The majority of the others had fallen due to the army outside, the statues themselves coming to life and attacking them. They had lost four on the journey, lost to the sands of this god forsaken country.

Three of them had fallen before they had reached the gates, and three others had told them to go when they reached the gates of this forsaken city, as they fought to give him time to stop the girl. His last site of them was their death. One had died as some sort of beetles swarmed over him. His screams will haunt Felix until his true death.

Another had died when he touched one of the gold coins on the way through the treasure room. The coins swallowed him up, and there was nothing remaining. Though they had no need to breathe, Felix had no doubt that his companion is as gone as the rest of them. Felix had come here, to the final chamber, expecting more nightmares even to one such as him.

Instead, he has one human with what looks like a gold sword looking ready to fight him. Please! That sword won’t even cause him to feel anything.

He is cocky and quickly pays for it with one arm gone. The very first rush had lead him to being the loser that suddenly.

He drops to his knees in shock, holding his stump as he looks up at the human in front of him. “How?”

Rick snorts. “This sword allowed me to battle mummies as undead as you are. Why would you not think it would allow me to hurt you?” In his head it all makes sense.

Felix shakes his head. “It’s gold.” It makes no sense.

“And you are dead. This is the City of the Dead. It doesn’t take much sense to figure it out Einstein.”

With that smart comment, the fight becomes real. Felix finds that the sword is not the only abnormal thing fighting him. The person in front of him is not human.

He is too fast and he uses the sword as though it is part of him. Even when Felix manages to get the sword from him, the man simply grabs a spear and handles it the same way. It is as though he was born to wield the weapons, trained with them for untold hours.

Rick never lets him get close to the ring of mummies that had appeared when he started to fight, wanting to let Bella have the time she needs. But he is not hearing anything from her. “Anytime, Bella!”

She shouts back, “I can’t open the book!”

He growls as he dodges another punch. “Use the damn key!”

Frustrated as he is, she screams at him. “Rick! What happens when I open the fucking book?” She is actually tugging on her hair as she tries to think of another way to do this.

That almost got him killed. He barely dodges the arm that would have crushed him. He moans. “Dammit!”

“Yep!”

He grits his teeth as he works to dismember the creature before him. Slowly he manages to slice off parts. The dismembered pieces are taken to Bella by hands that come through the sand, moving through it as water. Rick shudders as he realizes what they are. When he manages to slice off the head he jumps back, remembering the lesson with the mummies. He smells something sickly sweet and sees that she is burning the pieces. He slices down the middle of the torso, and slumps forward breathing hard. “I’m too old for this shit!”

A snort comes from the circle, and he raises his head. “Stay there! I don’t trust these guys not to have another group coming through!”

The mummies shuffle, so that he can see her, and he smiles. “I’m fine. Immortal remember?”

She nods. “Rick what the hell are we going to do?” Her hands twist around each other.

He stands up and looks over at her. “You are either going to go to sleep and see if lover boy can answer you, or find a mirror to talk to him. You are going to use that fine brain of yours to figure out the solution.”

“And you?”

He smiles at her cockily. “I will do what I do best, Princess. I will fight to give you time to figure this out. Get busy, because I will need help soon!” And with that another vampire comes in the room.

Bella clenches her fists feeling as impotent as always. She looks at the book that she pulled out and it floats in front of her. She looks back at Rick.

He is fighting and holding his own, but the pithy comments are not coming as fast. As he executes that one, two more come in.

She cannot take it, and walks over to the book. Gritting her teeth, she opens the book. Instead of falling open and a page being chosen at random, the pages turn and settle on one that glows more brightly than any other. It rises above her, and then bursts into the gold dust that Rick observed before. That is the last thing she remembers.

* * *

Rick is fighting against three of these cold fuckers, and he can hear someone laughing as he is doing so. He manages to slice off their heads, jumping back as a bright flash highlights the room in color, wiping out the three in front of him.

He was going to turn to see what she had done, to tell her that was great, but they really need Imhotep back. But before he can do any of that, three others make it in the room, with an honor guard around them, Rick quickly figures out these are the so called Kings.

He stands there with a long dagger in one hand, the sword in the other. He wants so badly to turn to check on his sister, but he cannot. He needs to trust her.

The one in the middle tsks as he looks around. “A gold sword that can cut us? What else will this horrid city come up with? Statues that move, dead who attack and the very earth fighting us.”

Rick lifts an eyebrow. “Normally that would make someone think they are not welcomed.”

The man laughs. “How amusing!”

The blond teenager sighs, “Really, Aro? Can we just kill him and grab the damn book you wanted so badly?”

Rick watches the other one stare at him in shock, then look as though he is following something unseen to behind him. His eyes flick back to him, and the being finally asks, “How are you alive?”

Aro turns to him, and touching him lightly, looks at Rick the same way. “You have bonds as strong as any vampire, and one half is gone. The others are also gone, but for the one leading to the abomination!”

Ricks grits his teeth. “She is not an abomination. I have seen those and battled them. She is nothing more than a woman who has been abused by your species, and loved by someone you are working to make sure is not here! You yourself are the abomination. ”

Looking shocked, Aro asks, “Why do you think that?”

Rick just lifts an eyebrow and glances to the pieces that are starting to move around him.

Waving his hand, Aro tells him, “We don’t care about her other than she needs to be killed. The book is what we are after. We were told that the book would result in slavery of our race, and that just cannot be. If anyone will be doing the enslaving, it will be us. Who else would be more qualified?”

A voice sounds out behind Rick. “Me.”

Aro lifts his eyebrow at the bald man who is wearing a suit. He walks to stand beside Rick, and winks at him as he turns to the vampires.

Aro asks, “And you are?”

Imhotep smiles, enjoying the feeling of being alive, to feel the power coursing through him. “The husband, mate, promised of the so called abomination. Oh, you will need to excuse her, bringing me back took a lot out of her, and I made sure she is safe before I came here.” And comfortable, but these people do not need to know this, and the man who would care, should know he would do so. It would be what he would do for her himself.

Aro is lost staring at the man that looks like he had come from a board meeting.

Imhotep laughs. He turns to Rick. “For what you have done, I thank you. You have kept safe my heart, and I can never repay you.”

Rick smirks. “Maybe by dealing with these guys? I really want to get to the next stage. And your Princess will need help too I suspect.”

Imhotep looks behind him, then back to him. “She is changing. A large step. When she wakes, I suspect it will begin our new task. But you are right. I need to take care of this situation.”

The white-haired teenage vampire suddenly jumps towards them. Imhotep casually puts his hand out and captures the vampire by the throat. The being screams. He starts to flake in Imhotep’s hand.

Imhotep just sighs and tells the creature, “Silence.” And the screams cease immediately.

He looks back to Rick. “I am told you are as immortal as I am now, my brother. This is good. Will you be my right hand?”

Rick nods and at that time, there is nothing but dust floating away as Rick and he grab each other by the shoulders. Imhotep just smiles at the trust from Rick.

He turns to the creatures standing before him shocked.

Aro asks, “What did you do to him? He was a king!” As if this is enough to prevent any harm to come to him.

Rick snorts. “This should be good.”

Imhotep looks back at him and grins. He turns back to the vampires. “I take it you have no idea who I am.”

Marcus comes to him, awe on his face, and kneels before him. “End me. I have suffered the loss of my other half for too long. I am forced to live in this pain. It would be a blessing. I can see the bond you share with your mate, and it is one I am truly blessed to see.”

Imhotep looks down at him and asks, “Who was your mate?”

“Dydme.”

Nodding his head, Imhotep asks, “If I bring her back, do you promise to serve me and my Queen?”

With eyes full of tears that will never fall, Marcus bows completely before him. “I do.”

Imhotep reaches out and pats him on the shoulder giving a side look at Rick that he understood completely.

He stands before Aro, the two of them matching in height. “I am Imhotep. Servant of Anubis, King of the Dead, and King of the land you are standing on. As you are one of the dead, you shall kneel to me, or die. The choice is simple.”

It is said with such complete confidence that it rattles the vampire king. He looks to where Caius had died in seconds, and from the scream he had uttered, very painfully.

But how can this human have this power? He can hear his heartbeat clearly, and see the blood pumping in the man’s veins.

He looks and widens his eyes as he watches beings climb out of the walls, the bugs he had thought he had eradicated come forward and surround them. The very land seemingly coming to life with what would be termed monster by even such as he.

“How?”

Rick laughs. “From the love of a human, from what you told me was an abomination.”

Aro shakes his head. “I was told if I did not stop her, that the end of the world as we know it will happen.”

Imhotep laughs. “You have been had. Yes. It is the end of the world as you know it currently. Coming back will be magic. Creatures will walk the earth never seen outside illustrations. The end of the world as you know it will come. But it is not the end you think it is.”

Aro blinks, feeling the power coming from the man, and shakes his head, trying to see.

Imhotep shakes his head. “Very well.” And with that he puts one finger on Aro and then walks away, telling him, “Please be silent. My Queen needs her sleep.”

Rick just watches in awe as this creature turns to dust before him. But when Imhotep walks by him, he turns and falls into place with him.

They reach the place where Evie had lain. Seeing his sister there, Rick asks, “Is it just the page affecting her? And if so, who is with her in her sleep?”

Imhotep smiles at him. “She is with Anubis. He will keep her safe as we head to our next destination. Are you ready, O’Connell? This will be a trip and it won’t be easy. In fact from what I have gathered, this is the easy part.” He has his hand on Bella, tracing her face with his finger very gently.

Rick lifts his eyebrow. “Easier than everything that happened on this trip, or period?”

With a smirk, “Period. We fought to gain our loves. The next step is to keep them. Are you up for it?”

Rick grins back at him, and the two grin. Then they are gone in a flash of lightning, time frozen, then blurring….

To Be Continued……

* * *

Final count: 2,818

**Fairfarren~**

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Desert-Gif.gif)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it for this story. I will be posting on my site first. If you wish to get alerts, go to www.kittyinaz.com to sign up. I am still working on releasing all of the stories I have chapters written on, so there will be more. And new crossovers as well.  
> Thanks for reading!


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